Michigan veterans affairs chief replaced after audit Detroit News wire and
staff Grand Rapids Gov. Rick Snyder has replaced the director of Michigan's
veterans
affairs agency after an audit uncovered problems at a state-run nursing home
for veterans here in Grand Rapids. Jeff Barnes, who led the agency for three
years, resigned Friday at Snyder's request, according to the Associated Press.
Barnes had no medical facility experience before his appointment. A report
from the Office of the Auditor General, obtained Thursday by The Detroit News
prior to public release Friday, revealed the state-run Grand Rapids Home
for Veterans failed to properly investigate allegations of abuse and neglect.
The audit of the partially privatized facility, where a combination of state
and contract workers care for more than 430 residents, also discovered the home
falsely claimed it was checking on patients and took too long to fill
prescriptions.
Snyder says the audit findings are "deeply troubling. James Redford, Snyder's
chief legal counsel and a former judge, will lead the agency for now. He
served in the Navy as part of the Judge Advocate General's Corps. Barnes, who
was in the U.S. Army for nearly a decade, is a former deputy chief of staff
for Snyder who focused on public safety issues and is a former campaign
manager. State legislators plan to hold investigative hearings on "a troubling
pattern of mismanagement" at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. Auditors said
the home was not providing sufficient care to residents, citing the facility
for five "material conditions" and four "reportable conditions," including: ?
Failure to track, properly investigate or respond to member complaints,
including
allegations of abuse and neglect. During a 23-month period reviewed by
auditors, the home did not send nine or 10 complaints of alleged abuse or
neglect
to the director or nursing. All 91 complaints during the period were forwarded
to the department manager who was the subject of the complaint. ? Failure
to meet required staffing needs. The contractor did not provide adequate
staffing 81 percent of the time during the four-month period reviewed by state
auditors. The home was up to 22 staff members short on any given day. ?
Documentation of member location and alarm checks that never occurred. Auditors
reviewed surveillance video and confirmed that 43 percent of location checks
did not happen even though the home reported a 100 percent rate. Supervisors
certified 17 of the 25 location checks that did not occur. Thirty-three percent
of alarm checks did not happen despite the home's 96 percent reporting
rate. Leslie Shanlian, CEO of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, said the
state is already addressing taking steps to address concerns raised by the
audit, including improper complaint investigation procedures.