Rep. Chris Bos | File photo
Rep. Chris Bos | File photo
Shortcomings at Illinois’ four state-run veterans homes were recently revealed in a collaborative report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in coordination with the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) and Illinois Department of Public Health (DPH).
State Rep. Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) called out the need for greater accountability for how Illinois treats its veterans in a Facebook post.
“A recent report from two state agencies and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found Illinois’ four state-run veterans homes lack standardized infection prevention policies despite previous audits suggesting they be implemented,” Bos said in the post.
There is no time to waste in responding to such a serious situation, he said.
“This needs to [be] corrected immediately,” Bos said in the post. “Our veterans deserve better!”
The report, based off of a May 2019 audit, was created only recently by the three agencies as part of the collaborative Interagency Infection Prevention Project, according to coverage by Capitol News Illinois. While individual homes have implemented some improvements since the audit was completed, there is still no state-level standard.
“Following the audit in 2019, the Senior Home Administrator retired. The task of creating an integrated Infection Control Program was deferred while that position remained open. Some of the Veterans’ Homes have updated their infection prevention policies, independently of one another, since then,” Capitol News Illinois quoted from the report. “Standardized policies and procedures, as recommended in the 2019 audit, are needed as one part of an infection prevention program.”
The three agencies began their collaboration following the November 2020 incident involving the LaSalle Veterans Home in which 36 residents died following an outbreak of COVID-19, Capitol News Illinois Reported. While infection rates have since dropped, two other veterans homes – Quincy and Manteno – also experienced coronavirus deaths of 24 and 19, respectively.
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