Home and Community Options to Close Two Homes

TJ Leverentz/KWNO

WINONA, Minn. (KWNO)-Home and Community Options (HCO) has announced a decision made by its Board of Directors to close two homes.  

HCO made the closing decision due to staffing shortages, according to a letter to the editor submitted by HCO Executive Director Suzanne Horstman. Horstman goes on to write that they expect their workforce to dwindle even more in the coming months.  

“HCO provides essential services for many vulnerable individuals. A staffing shortage puts the care of those individuals at risk. Shortages of this proportion mean that the safety of individuals who receive services can no longer be assured. Closing these programs was essential for HCO to maintain integrity as a service provider,” Horstman wrote.  

The organization hopes the downsizing will allow them to maintain a level of safety for the individuals in their care, Horstman wrote.  

Horstman said HCO tried to alleviate the shortages by offering higher wages, working with elected officials, and allocating resources towards recruitment and retention.  

Horstman thanked the Winona community for its support of HCO. For more on HCO employment and volunteering opportunities, click here.