About one month after a scathing DOJ report pilloried the Murphy Administration for its mismanagement of state-run veterans homes, we receive a brand new report on Tuesday form the State Commission of Investigation (SCI) which didn’t read any better.
“Outbreaks of COVID resulted in an astounding number of deaths in mere weeks at the state-run veterans’ homes in Paramus and Menlo Park,” the report ‘s authors explained while signaling out a “a perfect storm of circumstances” which ” exposed enduring flaws within the management, operation, and structure of the residences.”
Among the identified flaws?
“There was no realistic strategy to get employees to report to work or to find replacement staff. Staffing agencies were unwilling to send nurses and other medical personnel to the veterans homes to replace absent staff because the per diem rates paid by the State were fixed and not competitive with pay at other healthcare facilities,” the report continued.
Click here to read the full SCI report.
“Once again, another investigative body illustrates how this administration failed our veterans. From the start of the pandemic, hundreds of American heroes have died due to inadequate medical care and a lack of effective management and oversight,” said state Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26), a vocal critic of the administration’s response. “After three years of Democrats in the Legislature stonewalling calls for a comprehensive investigation, it is now time to hold this administration accountable for the immense harm done to veterans.”
