Title: U.S. Justice Department Report Reveals Negligence in New Jersey Veterans Homes Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Subtitle: Lack of preparation, poor communication, and staff incompetence led to widespread deaths, violating residents’ constitutional rights
Date: [Insert Date]
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A scathing report released by the U.S. Justice Department on Thursday has exposed widespread dysfunction in New Jersey’s two state-run veterans homes, Menlo Park and Paramus, leading to a violation of residents’ constitutional rights to reasonable care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 43-page document paints a disturbing picture of failures within the facilities, where dozens of deaths occurred early in the outbreak. The report highlighted poor communication, lack of staff competency, failure to group residents according to their exposure to the virus, and improper use of personal protective gear as contributing factors to the coronavirus spreading “virtually unchecked throughout the facilities.”
The report also pointed out that the homes failed to maintain improvements achieved after the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department provided assistance. Furthermore, it was mentioned that the facilities didn’t effectively communicate internally and neglected to properly manage the crisis.
“Even by the standards of the pandemic’s difficult early days, the facilities were unprepared to keep their residents safe,” the report stated.
New Jersey’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs operates both homes, each with just over 300 beds. Earlier this year, the state reached a $53 million settlement in response to claims that it was negligent and contributed to over 100 deaths at the two VA homes.
In response to the report, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy acknowledged the “deeply disturbing” findings. He acknowledged policy changes made to address the issues, including the hiring of private management for the homes, but highlighted that more work needed to be done.
However, Murphy’s administration faced severe criticism for its handling of the pandemic in veterans homes, with Republicans demanding investigations into the management of the outbreak. In light of these concerns, the governor initiated a comprehensive study to evaluate his administration’s response, with the report expected to be released by the end of this year.
The report included a tragic account of a former Marine, referred to as Resident C, whose deteriorating condition went unnoticed. Despite his roommate being hospitalized with suspected COVID-19, the facilities failed to monitor Resident C for the virus. Subsequently, he experienced a decline in health, eventually leading to his death without mention of COVID-19 in his medical chart.
The report also exposed that the number of deaths during the early months of the outbreak was significantly higher than publicly disclosed. In April 2020 alone, 98 Menlo Park residents and 92 Paramus residents died from all causes, which equates to the average number of deaths in a year at the facilities. The report highlighted that the reported deaths were underestimated due to a lack of readily available COVID-19 tests and only accounted for deaths listed on a death certificate.
The report, based on interviews with witnesses, staff members, family members of residents, facility visits, and document reviews, exposes the troubling conditions that existed within New Jersey’s veterans homes. The findings shed light on the urgent need for improved safety measures and better oversight to prevent future catastrophic incidents and uphold residents’ rights to reasonable care.