A bill sponsored by Rep. Adrian Madaro to ensure greater accountability on behalf of veterans and their families passed in the House of Representatives last week.
Madaro said the bill makes key reforms to the governance structure of the veterans’ homes, like the Chelsea Soldiers Home that houses veterans from Eastie and surrounding communities, and ensures that homes are federally licensed as health care facilities. The bill also mandates increased state management and provides independent oversight and accountability of veterans’ homes management.
The bill was in direct response to the tragedy at the Holyoke Veterans’ Home in 2020, which resulted in the COVID-19 related deaths of 77 veterans. Following the tragedy the Legislature established the Special Joint Oversight Committee on the veterans’ Home in Holyoke COVID-19 Outbreak to investigate and make legislative recommendations.
“Our veterans deserve high quality treatment, care, and living conditions,” said Madaro. “Massachusetts owes it to our veterans, who served and sacrificed for our country, to ensure that our Veterans’ homes are managed with diligence and accountability. I was proud to vote in favor of this bill to reform our Veterans’ homes in order to best serve the needs of Massachusetts’ bravest.”
The bill, H.441, An Act relative to the governance, structure and care of veterans at the Commonwealth veterans’ homes will require home superintendents to be licensed as nursing home administrators and either be a veteran or someone with experience managing veterans in a nursing home or long term-care facility.
Other highlights of the bill includes establishing a 17-member statewide Veterans’ Homes Council to manage and control the veterans’ homes, promulgate regulations to the local boards, and confirm and remove superintendents as well as an Office of the Veteran Advocate, an independent office that will be led by a Veteran Advocate appointed by the Governor, Attorney General and State Auditor.
The bill would require the Veteran Advocate to submit an annual report, which will be made public, to the Governor and the Legislature with an analysis of the delivery of services to veterans and recommendations for changes in agency procedures.
If signed into law the Department of Public Health (DPH) will conduct and report on inspections of veterans’ homes twice a year, or as often as they see fit, and establish a maximum time of 30 days for a veterans’ home to correct any violation that DPH identifies.
“Today, with the best interests of our veterans and their families in mind, the House took action to ensure greater accountability and oversight for veterans’ homes in Massachusetts,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “This legislation takes significant steps to change how our veterans’ homes are governed and managed, and establishes protocols that are designed to identify and correct any examples of mismanagement or inadequate care as quickly as possible.”
In May 2021, the House approved $400 million for the construction of an updated Holyoke Veterans’ Home facility and $200 million to increase geographic equity and accessibility for veterans not primarily served by the veterans’ Home in Chelsea or Holyoke.
The bill now goes to the Senate for approval.