Wisconsin veterans nursing home under scrutiny by lawmakers

Federal lawmakers from each political events have requested for an investigation and extra oversight of the troubled state veterans residence in Union Grove and a state senator is asking for a listening to on the power.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, whose administration oversees the nursing residence, mentioned in an interview Thursday he welcomes further oversight and can cooperate with any federal investigation.

“In case you get fined, it’s since you’ve completed one thing fallacious. And on this case, we have now been unable to meet our duties to those nice veterans, by having enough employees and adequately skilled employees,” he mentioned.

“We’ve got to do a greater job. Clearly, we’re involved. Our veterans served our nation with nice honor and dignity, and so they deserve that.”

The requires extra oversight and accountability come within the wake of a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation final week that exposed a sample of violations on the Union Grove veterans residence reaching again 5 years. 

Union Grove ranked within the high 5 out of 117 federally licensed state veterans services for having essentially the most violations and fines, the Journal Sentinel discovered.

The Union Grove facility, one among three veterans houses within the state, was cited for 62 violations and acquired fines totaling $250,000 since 2017, information present. Federal regulators are nonetheless reviewing the newest 5 violations from March and contemplating a doable further effective.

The violations embrace remedy errors, failing to maintain sufferers hydrated, not investigating affected person abuse, an infection management, poor meals and filthy situations. Residents and relations mentioned care has steadily declined as management incessantly modified and the house struggles with persistent understaffing.

Union Grove and different veterans houses prefer it are run by states, however they’re funded with federal {dollars}.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., individually despatched letters to Denis McDonough, secretary of Veterans Affairs. Steil additionally included Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator of the Facilities for Medicaid and Medicare Providers.

In an announcement Thursday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., mentioned the findings of poor care and abuse at Union Grove “should be absolutely investigated.”

In her letter, Baldwin requested the VA to evaluate situations at Union Grove and establish methods the power could possibly be higher held accountable. She famous the state has been making an attempt to enhance recruitment and retention of employees since 2019.

“Regardless of these efforts, complaints relating to therapy of residents spotlight the necessity for extra oversight and inspections by the VA,” Baldwin wrote.

Steil, whose district contains the Union Grove facility, mentioned he wrote the letter to ensure officers in Washington find out about these issues and search options.

“My work is to now get the eyes and ears and the eye of decision-makers in Washington in order that we are able to maintain of us accountable. But additionally and equally importantly, ensure that a scenario like this by no means occurs once more, anyplace in the USA,” Steil mentioned. 

State Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, is asking for hearings on points highlighted within the Journal Sentinel investigation. He additionally plans to hunt a state investigation or audit into the house. 

“We’ve got bought to get this shifting ahead as shortly as we are able to as a result of there’s no excuse for this,” Wanggaard mentioned in an interview.

State Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Inexperienced Bay, chairman of the Committee on Veterans and Army Affairs and Structure and Federalism, the place a listening to can be held, referred to as the Journal Sentinel investigation “past troubling.”

“We’re getting a full accounting of the details and can use all levers of the state to ensure this nightmare is over for our vets and that the promise made to those heroes is

restored,” he mentioned in an announcement.

Wanggaard and Meeting Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, whose districts embrace the house, toured the power in early Might and heard from residents about poor care and short-staffing.

They’ve pressed Mary Kolar, secretary of the state Division of Veterans Affairs, which operates the veterans houses, to permit extra volunteers again within the facility as COVID has eased, which might assist with the employees shortages.

Laurie Miller, who has volunteered on the residence for greater than 5 years, mentioned there are good employees members at Union now; there simply aren’t sufficient of them. 

“They aren’t the issue — the administration is,” she mentioned.

Evers backed Kolar, whom he appointed in 2019, saying she is doing “pretty much as good a job as doable.” He mentioned he hoped a brand new commandant, who’s in control of the power, will probably be in place quickly in Union Grove and the state will proceed to push to extend hiring with bonuses and promoting. 

“That is an pressing difficulty that everyone ought to care about,” he mentioned. “We have to resolve it. It began a number of years in the past, even earlier than my time, however that does not matter. It does not matter if it began 100 years in the past. We’ve got to vary it right this moment. And that is the place we’re headed.”

Journal Sentinel reporters Daphne Chen and Katelyn Ferral contributed to this report.

Contact John Diedrich at (414) 224-2408 or jdiedrich@gannett.com. Observe him on Twitter at @john_diedrich.