Pursuant to KRS 40.325, the Office of Kentucky Veterans' Centers within the KDVA manages Kentucky's four state veterans' nursing homes, with a fifth under construction, to serve the long-term nursing care needs of Kentucky's elderly veteran population.
The Thomson-Hood Veterans' Center, located in Wilmore in Jessamine County, is a 285-bed long-term nursing care facility opened in 1991 specifically for Kentucky's elderly veteran population. The Eastern Kentucky Veterans' Center is a 120-bed facility located in Hazard (Perry County) and the Western Kentucky Veterans' Center is a 120-bed facility in Hanson (Hopkins County), both opened in 2002 and include in-house physician care, nurse practitioners, 24-hour nursing staff, and staffing for a rehab therapy department, barbershop, library, gift shop, laundry facility, and a dietary department. In April 2013, KDVA opened a 36-bed expansion at the Western Kentucky Veterans' Center that utilizes the "Community Living Center (CLC) Concept" required by the federal Veterans' Administration. Three 12-bed buildings provide a more personalized care for its residents and brings the total capacity to 156 beds. In July 2017, a fourth 120-bed Veterans' Center, in Hardin County, the Carl M. Brashear Radcliff Veterans Center opened utilizing the Community Living Center Concept. The Robert E. Spiller Bowling Green Veterans Center, the Commonwealth's fifth state veterans home, is a 60-bed CLC model currently under construction. It is expected to begin admitting veterans in early 2026.
The KDVA is required by KRS 40.315 to establish and maintain Kentucky state veterans' cemeteries. The Kentucky Veterans' Cemetery-West is located on Highway 41A south of Hopkinsville. The Veterans' Cemetery-Central in Radcliff opened in June 2007. The Veterans' Cemetery-North near Williamstown opened in early fiscal year 2009. The Veterans' Cemetery-Northeast in Greenup County opened in the fall of 2010. The Veterans' Cemetery-Southeast in Leslie County opened in April 2018. Each facility includes an administration building, a maintenance building with service area, committal facility, a columbarium, appropriate parking, road network, walking path and landscaping.
KRS 40.600 established the Women Veterans Program to ensure Kentucky women veterans have equitable access to federal and state veterans' services and benefits. KRS 40.350 established the Wounded or Disabled Veterans Program to assist wounded or disabled veterans in the transition from active service and ensure they receive the federal, state and private benefits to which they are entitled as wounded or disabled veterans. KRS 40.312 established the Kentucky Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Suicide Prevention Program to raise awareness of and reduce death by suicide within the population of service members, veterans, and their families.
The General Fund base budget in each fiscal year includes:
The Governor's budget includes additional funding in the amount of $1,191,700 in fiscal year 2027 and $2,446,900 in fiscal year 2028 to fund a 2% salary increment in fiscal year 2027 and an additional 2% in fiscal year 2028. The General Fund portion is $500,500 and $1,027,700, respectively.
The Governor's budget includes additional Restricted Funds in the amount of $5,110,800 in fiscal year 2027 and $5,488,400 in fiscal year 2028 for additional staffing at Thomson-Hood Veterans Center to increase projected census to 154 by the end of fiscal year 2028.
The Governor's budget includes additional Restricted Funds in the amount of $6,397,400 in fiscal year 2027 and $6,778,600 in fiscal year 2028 for additional staffing at Western Kentucky Veterans Center to increase projected census to 124 by end of fiscal year 2028.