Missouri Veterans Commission releases report on V.A. Homes’ COVID-19 response
JEFFERSON CITY – On the behalf of the commission of the Missouri Veterans Commission, chairman Timothy Noonan has released the full 415-pa ge independent, external investigation report into the Missouri Veterans Commission’s response to COVID-19.
The investigation, ordered by Governor Mike Parson and conducted by Armstrong Teasdale, examined the COVID-19 response in all seven Veterans Homes and by MVC headquarters.The report is available at https://mvc.dps.mo.gov/docs/commission/external-review-full-report.pdf.
“COVID-19 has presented unprecedented challenges to every long-term care facility in the nation and the external investigation report provides a valuable, unvarnished, independent review of the Missouri Veterans Commission’s response to the pandemic,” chairman Noonan said. “Up and down the chain of command, we have a duty to the Veterans, their families and the frontline employees of the MVC who we serve to take responsibility, stand accountable and improve every day. That process is already underway both through the implementation of corrective actions and other improvements MVC staff had already initiated internally since the outbreak of the pandemic. MVC will conduct its own after action review to drive further improvement to make the services we provide the finest in the nation for Veterans.”
Noonan thanked the Veterans Homes’ hundreds of staffers and headquarters’ personnel for their many sacrifices and dedicated service over the last 10 months. He said MVC will continue to listen to the frontline caregivers who provide critical life-sustaining care to Veterans on a daily basis.
MVC has already implemented many of the recommendations in the report, including daily testing of Veterans and homes’ staff, expanded use of COVID-19 data analytics and launching an Essential Caregiver Program that enables Veterans to have direct contact in the homes with a designated family member to help ensure the Veteran’s health and wellbeing while COVID-19 restrictions are in place.
Personally identifiable and other closed information has been redacted from the investigation report in compliance with confidentiality requirements.
The Missouri Veterans Commission, a division of the Department of Public Safety, operates seven State Veterans Homes, five State Veterans Cemeteries, and the Veterans Services Program. The Commission is committed to honoring and serving Missouri’s Veterans whose dedication and sacrifices have preserved our nation and its freedoms.
For more information about the Missouri Veterans Commission programs, call (573) -751-3779, online at http://www.mvc.dps.mo.gov, or facebook.com/MissouriVeteransCommission.