Sen. Abeler calls for employee retention program to protect mental healthcare transition

Sen. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) is calling on state officials to create an employee retention program to help experienced Community Addiction Recovery Enterprise (CARE)–Anoka employees remain on the job as services transition to the Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center (AMRTC). The request was made in a letter sent on Thursday, July 30, to Direct Care and Treatment (DCT) Executive Board Chair Carol Olson. This involves employees from many jurisdictions, including the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; and the Minnesota Nurses Association.

CARE–Anoka employees provide treatment and recovery services for Minnesotans with complex mental health and substance use needs. As services move to the expanded AMRTC campus, Abeler said retaining experienced employees is critical to ensuring patients continue to receive high-quality care without unnecessary disruptions.

"These employees provide critical services, and retaining their expertise during this transition is essential to the success of both programs," Abeler said. "Investing in the workforce during this transition will help preserve continuity of care, maintain staffing stability, and protect the state's significant investment in the AMRTC expansion."

In his letter, Abeler also notes that funding has already been appropriated to support the transition and that similar employee retention programs have been implemented during previous CARE facility transitions. He is asking DCT to work with employee representatives to develop a retention plan that supports employees as they move into substantially different roles and work environments.