New Hampshire’s Executive Council has unanimously approved spending more than $30 million to benefit local veterans.
The bulk of money, nearly $23 million in federal funding, is earmarked for a Veterans Housing and Retreat Center in Franklin.
The 15-acre site will include permanent and transitional housing. It will be managed by Easterseals New Hampshire, which – until last year – ran its Farnum North addiction treatment campus there.
The council also approved a two-year, $7.6 million contract with California-based R.L. Klein and Associates, to provide temporary clinical and support staff at the state Veteran’s Home in Tilton.
“The hope is that we won’t need to use it very often, but July and August in our clinical areas is going to be really tough,” said New Hampshire Veterans Home Commandant Kimberly MacKay.
Tilton is licensed to care for 250 people but now houses only half as many. Its staff vacancy rate stands at 37%.
