FACILITY OPENED: OCTOBER 24, 2006

# OF BEDS: 140 beds, 20 of which will be a Special Needs secured unit

Q: Where is the building located?
A: The building is located at 1 Veteran's Way, Knoxville, TN 37931. Veteran's Way can be found off of Cowar Mill Road.

INFORMATION FOR POTENTIAL RESIDENTS:

Q: When will the facility admit new residents?
A: New residents will be admitted on a limited basis as soon as the facility opens and will depend on our level of staffing. As we obtain more staff, more residents will be admitted.

Q: Who is eligible for admission?
A: Veterans entitled to medical treatment and/or other benefits from the V.A. and who are residents of Tennessee are eligible. If space is available, the spouse, widow, or Gold Star parent of a veteran may be admitted.

Q: What are the veteran's admission requirements to a state home?
Admission requirements are determined by the state. Following admission, an "Application for Medical Benefits", V.A. Form 10-10M, is forwarded to the V.A. to establish a veteran's eligibility for payment of the per diem.

Q: How do I apply for admission?
A: Potential residents or their caregiver may call either of the existing TSVH homes and request to be placed on the waiting list for the Knoxville home. Application forms are available at all offices of the Tennessee State Veterans' Homes, Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs, County Veterans Services Offices, V.A. Medical Centers, the V.A. Regional Office, and area agencies of the Commission on Aging. Veterans Service Officers are available to assist in completing the application.

Q: If I am on the wait list, when/how will I be contacted?
A: Approximately 3 to 6 months prior to opening, those on the wait list will be contacted via phone and/or letter to see if resident is ready for admission.

Q: What type of care will be offered?
A: Residents and applicants are categorized into one of two levels of care according to the severity of their illness or disability.
LEVEL I - Intermediate. Needs supervision and routine assistance in several activities of daily living.
LEVEL II - Skilled. Needs supervision by technical or professional personnel due to the complexity of the services prescribed for the patient by his/her physician.

Q: Who decides what level of care is needed?
A: Each resident is under the direct care of a physician licensed in the State of Tennessee. The Administrator and the Director of Nursing, in coordination with the physician, oversees the implementation of physician ordered nursing care with consultation of the multi-disciplinary team, and adjustments are made as needed with consultation of the primary physician.

Q: What services are provided by the home?
A: Complete medical and nursing care including: full rehabilitation therapy, full nutritional support, social services, creative activity programs, laundry, beauty, and barber services.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: Costs are established for intermediate and skilled care to be consistent with the State of Tennessee's reimbursement procedures for Medicare and Medicaid.

Q: Can anyone other than a veteran reside in a State home?
A: Yes. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the bed occupants at any one time may be veteran related family members, i.e., spouses and/or Gold Star parents who are not entitled to payment of V.A. aid. When a state home accepts grant assistance for a construction project, 75% of the bed occupants at the facility must be veterans.

INFORMATION FOR POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES:

Q: When/where can I apply for employment?
A: Approximately 6 months prior to opening, we will advertise for employment opportunities via area newspapers and notify local agencies. Interviews will be held in the Knoxville area. As we approach this time frame, you will be able to access our website for employment opportunities and be able to apply online.

Q: Can I send my resume to someone now?
A: No. Please do not send resumes/ applications to existing homes until at least 6 months prior to opening, unless you are responding directly to an official TSVH request for applications (such as a newspaper ad).

Q: Will I be considered a State employee?
A: You will be considered an employee of the TN State Veterans' Homes Board (TSVHB). However, you will be eligible to participate in the TN Consolidated Retirement System and have access to the same health care plans as state employees, as well as some other state benefits.

OTHER INFORMATION:

Q: I am a vendor and I want to bid for services, what do I do?
A: Approximately six months prior to opening, the home's Administrator will start taking applications for services.

Q: I want to send a donation to the veterans' home. Where should I send it?
A: All monetary donations are managed by the TN Veterans Home Foundation, Inc., a 501( c ) 3 organization that exists in partnership with the TSVHB. Funds collected are used solely for the benefit of residents in our homes. If you would like for your funds to be designated specifically for the Knoxville home, please indicate this on your check or accompanying letter. You will receive a receipt of your donation via mail.

Please make checks payable to: TN Veteran Homes Foundation
Mail checks to: TN Veteran Homes Foundation, PO Box 10299, Murfreesboro, TN 37129.

Unfortunately, material donations, such as books or clothing, can not be accepted until the facility opens. At that time, please contact their Activities Director for further information.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS STATE VETERANS HOME PROGRAM.

Q: What is a state veterans' home?
A: The term "state veterans' home" means a home established by a state for veterans disabled by age, disease, or otherwise, who, by reason of such disability are incapable of earning a living. It also includes a home that furnishes nursing home care for such veterans.

Q: Can a state home furnish more than one level of care?
A: Yes. A state home may furnish domiciliary, nursing home and hospital levels of care. A home that furnishes more than one level of care must provide such care in clearly designated areas within the home so that the levels of care are not intermingled.

Q: Who establishes a state home?
A: The establishment of a state home is the responsibility of the state that it serves.

Q: How is a state home established?
A: Generally, veterans' service organizations and interested state officials encourage the state legislature to enact legislation for establishment of a state veterans' home and to appropriate funds for its operation.

Q: What assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is available in the establishment of a state home?
A: The V.A. will provide guidance and consult with representatives of the state to insure that the facility will meet regulations for V.A. recognition and federal aid payments under provision of Title 38 U.S. Code 1741 formerly 641. The V.A. cannot participate in the cost of land.

Q: Can a building in an existing state facility be approved as a state home?
A: A building or buildings in an existing facility may qualify provided that they are established and operated as a separate entity (state home). It is permissible to purchase services, i.e., dietetic, engineering, laundry, and professional care from an existing facility.

Q: Can a facility providing only hospital care be recognized by the V.A. as a state home?
A: No. A state home must provide primarily domiciliary and/or nursing home care for veterans.

Q: What federal funds are available to a state for operation of a state home?
A: Under provisions of Title 38 U.S. Code 1741, formerly 641, V.A. participates by making per diem payments to the states as determined on an annual basis.

Q: Can the state assess or charge veterans for the cost of their care?
A: Yes. The state operated facility may establish a maintenance charge system and collect from the pension, compensation, or other income of veterans.

Q: Is there a limit on the amount collected from veterans?
A: No. However, income collected from veterans is subtracted from the total allowable costs during fiscal verifications. V.A. aid payments may not exceed this difference nor may V.A. aid payments exceed one-half the aggregate cost of maintaining veterans in a home.

Q: If a veteran in a state home requires hospitalization in a V.A. Medical facility, can V.A. continue per diem payments?
A: No. V.A. per diem payments are not made if a veteran in a state home is transferred to a V.A. Medical Center for hospital care or to a non-V.A. hospital at V.A. expense.

*Provision - V.A. per diem payments are continued up to 96 hours for a veteran transferred from a state home to a hospital at non-V.A. expense.

Q: Can the V.A. participate with states in the construction or acquisition of state home facilities?
A: Yes. Under Title 38 U.S. Code 8181-8137, formerly 5031-5037, V.A. is authorized to participate in up to 65% of the cost of acquisition and construction of new domiciliary or nursing home buildings, and/or the expansion, remodeling, or alteration of existing domiciliary, nursing or hospital care buildings, provided V.A. standards and regulations are met. Acquisition and renovation costs may not exceed the cost of construction of an equivalent new facility.

Q: Can the V.A. reimburse a state for the federal share of a completed construction project? What are the conditions?
A: Yes, providing V.A. receives a pre-application/application and approves all bid documents (drawings and specifications) before construction begins or early in the construction phase.

Q: Is there a limit on the number of beds that can be constructed with V.A. participation?
A: Yes. Nursing home care beds cannot exceed four (4) beds per 1,000 veteran population in the state. The state must provide justification, acceptable to the Secretary, for nursing home beds in excess of 2.5 per 1,000 veteran population of a state. Domiciliary beds cannot exceed two (2) beds per 1,000 veteran population in the state.

Q: Who is responsible for a construction project?
A: The state is primarily responsible. The state employs an architect and submits plans for review and approval by V.A. prior to awarding the contract. During construction, which is supervised by the state, reimbursement claims may be submitted to V.A. for payment based on incurred costs.

Q: May other than veterans occupy facilities constructed under Title 38 U.S. Code 8131-8137, formerly 5031-5037?
A: Yes. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the bed occupants at any one time may be veteran related family members, i.e., spouses and/or Gold Star parents who are not entitled to payment of V.A. aid. When a state home accepts grant assistance for a construction project, 75% of the bed occupants at the facility must be veterans.