Category: News

Local Candidate Forum for Districts 8A, 8B, and 3BCandidate Forum at Viewcrest Health Center

DULUTH – August 29th, 2024 – Duluth Health Services and LeadingAge Minnesota hosted a Candidate Forum, an event providing a platform for local candidates to discuss issues affecting older adults and Minnesota’s wider aging services sector.

The event was moderated by Cami Peterson-DeVries, Vice President of Senior Services with St. Francis Health Services of Morris. The local candidates that attended were Natalie Zeleznikar, Mark Munger, Shawn Savela, and Mark McGrew. Each candidate had the opportunity to share how they would prioritize older adults and the issues that matter to the aging services sector.

“With November fast approaching, LeadingAge Minnesota is working hard to ensure candidates are aware of the vital services our members provide to older adults in communities across the state,” said Kari Thurlow, CEO of LeadingAge Minnesota. “Minnesota is at an inflection point. We are now home to more seniors than schoolchildren. We’ve had a piecemeal approach to addressing a complex set of challenges – from a chronic workforce shortage to unfunded mandates. It’s pivotal that we meet this unique moment with a multi-faceted approach for the good of seniors, their families, and the dedicated individuals and organizations that provide care to older adults in our state.”

About Duluth Health Services

Duluth Health Services operates three senior living campuses in the greater Duluth area. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of St. Francis Health Services, a Minnesota faith-based, non-profit organization.

Viewcrest Health Center is a Medicare/Medicaid certified care center providing all levels of skilled care; short-term stays for rehabilitative care and long-term care. We also provide services and programs for special needs including respite care. Viewcrest Health Center is located in the quiet, friendly residential part of Duluth known as Piedmont Heights. It is easily accessible from all locations of the city and only one block from the bus line.

Duluth Health Services also includes:

Franciscan Health Center is a 47-bed skilled nursing care center located on the beautiful peninsula of Park Point, Duluth, overlooking St. Louis Bay and Lake Superior.

Suncrest Assisted Living is a beautiful and peaceful assisted living campus located in Scanlon, MN.

About LeadingAge Minnesota

Driven to transform and enhance the experience of aging, LeadingAge Minnesota works alongside its members, caregivers, advocates and consumers to collectively shape the future of aging services and ensure older adults in every community live with dignity, meaning and purpose. Together with more than 60,000 caregivers, LeadingAge Minnesota members provide quality care, services and support to 70,000 older adults every day in independent senior housing, assisted living communities, adult day, in-home care and skilled nursing facilities.

Curtis Bach Promoted to CFO

Curt officially transferred into this role August 28th from the SFHS Controller || position. He is excited to continue to support our organization and mission in his new role as VP of Finance.

Curt comes to us with over 35 years of CEO, CFO, and organizational leadership & financial experience specializing in fiscal management of multiple location operations.

He earned two bachelor’s degrees: business management/Administration and Accounting from Moorhead State University.

Curt lives in Wheaton, MN with Lori and his dog Merry. He enjoys spending time with his father in the north woods at the hunting shack, along with camping and riding his motorcycles whenever he can.

Curt can be reached at Curtis.Bach@sfhs.org or 320-589-4910.

Cami Peterson-DeVries to Speak at 2024 State of Reform

State of Reform pulls together practitioners, thought leaders, and policy makers – each working to improve our healthcare system in their own way – into a unified conversation in a single place. If you are interested in understanding what occurs at the nexus of healthcare policy and politics, then this is the conference for you.

Our very own VP of Senior Services, Cami Peterson-DeVries will be speaking during the closing plenary along with Jennifer DeCubellis, CEO of Hennepin Healthcare and Marie Zimmerman, VP & Chief Strategy Officer of UCare.

The 2024 Minnesota State of Reform Health Policy Conference will be taking place in-person at the Hyatt Regency Bloomington – Minneapolis, on Thursday, September 5th, 2024.

Website: State of Reform Conferences: Where solutions begin.

Mark Rentz to Join SFHS as VP of Fund Development & Marketing

St. Francis Health Services is pleased to announce that Mark Rentz is joining us as the Vice President of Fund Development and Marketing!


Mark comes to us with nearly 20 years of marketing leadership experience specializing in healthcare, finance, and technology. He has worked for some of Minnesota’s top brand’s including UnitedHealth Group and Capella University along with several high-growth startups.

He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Finance from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Florida.

Mark lives in Rosemount, MN, with his wife Ashley, their sons, Mikey (11) and Danny (8), and their dog Ellie. He has a personal connection to St. Francis Health Services; his family has both worked with and received care from our facilities, which makes his joining our team even more meaningful.

He is excited to contribute to our organization and our mission. Mark will officially begin his role as Vice President of Fund Development and Marketing on April 22nd. He can be reached at mark.rentz@sfhs.org. Please join me in welcoming Mark to our team!

St. Francis & Three Links Merge Effective November 1st, 2023

Carol Raw, Jay Pizinger, Gary Miessler, Penny Rippentropp, Don Pavek, and Stanley Whitney

Three Links and St. Francis Health Services of Morris are pleased to announce that as of today, November 1st, 2023, we have merged services. Moving forward, the Three Links Campus will be known as Three Links Health Services accompanied by a new logo to represent the merge with St. Francis Health Services.

Today begins a new chapter in Three Link’s 124 – year history that will secure and shape Three Links’ future and grow our mission of Creating Peace of Mind for Those We Serve. We want to assure you of our continued commitment to providing exceptional care to the residents we serve and the communities we operate in.

The Three Links campus in Northfield, Minnesota consists of seven unique communities offering skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, respite care and independent subsidized apartments.  In addition to the Three Links Care Center campus, Three Links also has two senior living communities located in Northfield and Lonsdale. Millstream Commons, an independent and assisted living community, is in the heart of Northfield. Villages of Lonsdale provides independent, assisted and memory care services in Lonsdale.

To learn more about Three Links Health Services, please visit their website at

Assisted Living for Seniors | Assisted Living Facility | Northfield & Lonsdale, MN | Three Links

Cami Peterson-DeVries Celebrates an 18 Year Work Anniversary

Cami Peterson-DeVries

Cami has had quite a career with St. Francis starting in September of 2005 as the DON for Guardian Angels Health & Rehabilitation Center. Since 2005, she has served in a variety of capacities including ADM, Regional Director, VP of Compliance & Ethics & Leadership Development. In February of 2022 she began her work as VP of Senior Services.  At every position she has been a remarkable leader mentoring her staff along the way. She is a lifetime learner, problem solver and adapts well to whatever task is at hand!  We are extremely grateful for the work she does as an Executive Leader of St. Francis and look forward to working with her for many years to come. 

Congratulations Cami!

Merger Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      

The members of The Independent Order of Odd Fellows Grand Lodge of MN & Rebekahs of Northfield dba Three Links, with a 124-year tradition of providing exceptional patient care and St. Francis Health Services of Morris have agreed to merge the services provided by both entities effective 11/1/2023.

The Three Links campus in Northfield, Minnesota consists of seven unique communities offering skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, respite care and independent subsidized apartments.  In addition to the Three Links Care Center campus, Three Links also has two senior living communities located in Northfield and Lonsdale. Millstream Commons, an independent and assisted living community, is in the heart of Northfield. Villages of Lonsdale provides independent, assisted and memory care services in Lonsdale.

“Three Links has undergone significant growth and expansion in recent years, and we believe that this change will better reflect our current operations and future direction” stated Jay Pizinger, CEO and CFO of Three Links.

Carol Raw, President and CEO of St. Francis also commented “We have a long, proud history of supporting and partnering with care centers in rural communities and we are thrilled to be able to join Three Links in providing exceptional care to the community of Northfield through our shared missions of caring for the person first, with dignity that offers peace of mind.”

St. Francis was created in 1984 as a faith based, not-for-profit organization; formed to strategically expand senior services throughout Minnesota, and to meet the complex and diverse needs of vulnerable people of all ages with mental and intellectual disabilities. St. Francis consists of thirteen senior living communities throughout MN offering a full continuum of care and licensed residential homes for individuals with mental and intellectual disabilities.  To learn more about St. Francis, please visit our website at www.sfhs.org.

For information contact:

  • Carol Raw, CEO/President of St. Francis Health Services                                                        
  • 320.589.4917
  • carol.raw@sfhs.org         

OR                                               

Open House at Heritage Manor

Heritage Manor was proud invite the community in to tour the nearly 13-million-dollar remodeling project that was completed over the past few years.

The west wing originally built in the 1950’s, was demolished and replaced with a new pod consisting of 21 private rooms with private bathrooms, a state-of-the-art HVAC system, a new elevator for access to the lower level (LL) therapy suite, a new bathing suite, a dedicated space for resident activities and a large central space for social activity.   The LL therapy suite now has easy access parking and a direct entrance for outpatient therapy clients.

The kitchen was relocated to the main level adjacent to the updated dining room has replaced the 1950’s kitchen adding proper pantry storage, walk-in coolers and freezer and new equipment throughout. Other updates to existing areas of the care center include a bathing suite, all resident beds and furnishings and a new conference room adjacent to the front entrance. Not all changes are visible as the care center a new emergency generator, updated HVAC systems, new washers and dryers, and a new employee breakroom as well as new office space on the main floor. 

We want to thank all who attended and to all our guest speakers. Thank you to all of those to help make this event possible: Upper Lakes Foods, Martha Bush, Valentini’s, Tom and Jerry’s, Mary’s Lake Street Floral, and all the Heritage Manor team.

Special thanks to Pastor Paul Strommer for blessing our care center, Mayor Adam Lantz and Senator Rob Farsnworth for supporting our care center!

Thank you to the following for helping with our remodeling project:

  • Johnson Wilson
  • Jamar
  • Carlson Duluth Company
  • Hunt Electric
  • Praire Design Studio
  • Boelter
  • KTM Paving
  • Northland Consulting Engineers
  • Range Cornice

Long-Term Care Leaders Express Deep Disappointment in Conference Committee Bill That Neglects Critical Funding for All Minnesota’s Aging Services Settings

May 17, 2023 (St. Paul, MN) – Today, the long-term care leaders of Minnesota stand together in expressing our profound disappointment and concern over the human services conference committee bill that has failed to prioritize senior care. Despite the pressing needs of our aging population and the undeniable crisis unfolding within our care system, this bill falls woefully short in addressing the dire situation faced by seniors, families, and communities across Minnesota.  While the bill makes a significant investment in home and community-based services programs, including assisted living, it leaves bare a key segment of the healthcare continuum—nursing homes.

Newly released data has unveiled the distressing reality that record numbers of seniors are being denied the care they desperately need. Shockingly, every day, 450 referrals for care are denied, leaving vulnerable individuals without the support they require. Moreover, nearly 20,000 long-term care positions remain vacant, exacerbating an already strained workforce.

The current nursing home payment system currently leaves a 21-month backlog, leaving providers unable to cover their operational costs and creating financial instability. This situation is made worse by high inflation and workforce pressures. As a result, seniors have been uprooted from their homes, families have been separated from their loved ones, and communities suffer the loss of vital care resources. Finally, the strain placed on hospitals by the absence of accessible long-term care settings further taxes the entire healthcare system.

It is disheartening that despite the $17 billion surplus, the critical needs of seniors in Minnesota are not being adequately addressed. One-time solutions like workforce bonuses and a loan program for nursing homes included in the bill fail to provide the sustained support needed to address this crisis and should not be considered a solution to the issues that have been raised this session.

We, as long-term care leaders, call upon our state’s legislators to reassess their priorities and recognize the urgent need for robust funding and sustainable solutions that can address the crisis at hand. The well-being and dignity of our seniors and the stability of our communities should not be compromised by insufficient allocations.

The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated. We implore our state’s leaders to prioritize the well-being and dignity of Minnesota’s seniors by recognizing the gravity of the situation and take immediate action to address the critical funding shortfall.

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The Long-Term Care Imperative (LTCI) is a partnership of Minnesota’s two senior care provider associations – Care Providers of Minnesota and LeadingAge Minnesota. LTCI members employ 80,000 professional caregivers in Minnesota, meeting the needs of seniors in all the places seniors call home – including short-term care, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing homes.