Why Ohio Needs New SVHs

Ohio's home to the 7th largest veteran population nationwide. In spite of this, out of the 177 state veteran homes operating nationwide, Ohio only has two. Ohio’s Veteran population deserves improved access to high-quality care—especially in communities that are currently unserved or underserved. New State Veterans Homes help:

Expand nursing and domiciliary bed availability
Improve geographic access across the state
Ensure system resiliency for future Veteran generations
Deliver modern, person-centered care environments
SVH's are much more than just nursing facilities, they bring the Ohio veteran community together at these locations to share in and support the journey our veteran residents are on.

Federal–State Partnership

The construction of State Veterans Homes is a joint effort between federal and state governments:

Approximately 65% federal funding
35% state funding, which must be included in an approved Ohio budget (typically during Capital Budget cycles)
A new 120-bed facility costs approximately $130 million

VA Tier 1 List

To qualify for federal funding, Ohio must first budget its full 35% state share.
Once submitted, the project is placed on the VA Tier 1 priority list, which is already heavily backlogged.

If Ohio applied today, federal consideration would likely occur in 8–10 years due to the existing queue.
There is currently efforts which would ask the state to fund the entire construction of a new home up front and seek reimbursement for the 65% federal funding share. This would allow Ohio to start building a new home in the near future with the advantage of paying today's costs rather than the costs to build a new SVH 10 years from now.

Operational Funding Model

Once built, State Veterans Homes operate using a blended funding model:

~40% from the State budget
~40% from Federal VA benefits (typically VBA)
~20% from Veteran-paid contributions

Key Stakeholders

Several organizations and government offices play essential roles in establishing, funding, and advocating for new SVHs in Ohio - we need you to reach out to ALL of these offices and organizations:

Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS)
Governor’s Office — supports and champions budget requests
Ohio General Assembly — approves funding within state budgets
Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) — grassroots advocacy and community outreach
Community Partners — local support and engagement initiatives