Auditor General DePasquale to Follow Up on Audit of PA Veterans Homes, Ensure COVID-19 Wait List is Properly Managed
Auditor General DePasquale to Follow Up on Audit of PA Veterans Homes, Ensure COVID-19 Wait List is Properly Managed
HARRISBURG (April 9, 2020) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today said he will follow up on his 2016 audit of Pennsylvania’s six veterans homes operated by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) after the coronavirus crisis eases.
“I want to make sure these state-run facilities are doing all they can to protect those who have served our nation,” DePasquale said.
The 2016 audit raised some concerns about the DMVA’s waiting list and admission procedures and found deficiencies in how staff at veterans homes handle complaints. Due to the coronavirus, individuals who apply to reside at a state veterans home are currently being placed on a waiting list.
“Once the coronavirus subsides, it is going to be more important than ever to make sure the DMVA adopted my audit recommendations to improve its management of wait lists so that veterans can receive the care they need and deserve,” DePasquale said.
To qualify for admission to a state veterans home, an individual must be an eligible veteran or the spouse of an eligible veteran who is a current resident of Pennsylvania or was a resident upon entry into the Armed Forces.
State veterans homes are: Delaware Valley Veterans Home (Philadelphia County); Gino J. Merli Veterans Center (Lackawanna County); Hollidaysburg Veterans Home (Blair County); Pennsylvania Soldiers' and Sailors' Home (Erie County); Southeastern Veterans Center (Chester County); and Southwestern Veterans Center (Allegheny County).
For now, the homes are not accepting volunteers or visitors but donations are still being accepted.
“I applaud the DMVA for ending visitation at veterans homes several weeks ago as a necessary step to protect patients and staff,” DePasquale said. “I encourage concerned Pennsylvanians to contact their nearest home to find out how to donate any needed supplies, including such items as personal protective equipment.”
Find contact information for veterans homes online at www.dmva.pa.gov/stateveteranshomes.
Learn more about the 2016 DMVA audit report and the Department of the Auditor General online at www.PaAuditor.gov.
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