NJ VFW Wants Veterans Home Leadership Investigated

PARAMUS, NJ — Hundreds of residents at state-run veterans homes have tested positive for the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, 146 have died. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of New Jersey believes that is unacceptable.

On Monday, VFW officials released a statement urging the Attorney General and the prosecutor's offices of Bergen and Middlesex County to investigate the leadership at these facilities.

"The Veterans of Foreign Wars calls on the State Attorney General, along with the Bergen and Middlesex County Prosecutors, investigate the actions or inactions of the executive leadership whose duty it was to provide our veterans under their care with a safe and healthy environment," said State Commander Brian Wiener, in a statement.

The department, along with Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Bill Pascrell, Jr., have been critical of the leadership at these homes — Paramus and Menlo Park in particular — and this isn't the first time they've called for greater transparency and accountability.

After a Northjersey.com and USATODAY Network report which said federal inspectors determined the Paramus Veterans Home's coronavirus response was so riddled with negligence and incompetence that all residents and staff were found to be in "immediate jeopardy" of contracting COVID-19, Gottheimer and Pascrell called for CEO Matthew Schottlander to resign.

"As the coronavirus swept through New Jersey, mismanagement and a lack of transparency at the state-run Paramus Veterans Home resulted in needless death and preventable tragedy," they said in a joint statement. "The situation demanded transparency, honesty, cooperation, and competency. The response by those in charge at the Paramus Veterans Home did not meet this moment. Worse, it set the facility up to fail and hindered response efforts."

The VFW, according to a news release, has been calling for an investigation since April, when a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services inspection found a number of issues with the Paramus Veterans Home's coronavirus response.

"These egregious deficiencies were found a full 25 days after the first confirmed COVID 19 case in the home. Although the contents of the federal report are shocking, to date there has been no documented investigation conducted by the State of New Jersey as to why these veterans were placed at great peril by those whose duty it was to ensure their health and well-being were protected," said Wiener.

Gov. Phil Murphy was not spared of blame either, as the VFW commander said his promises to this point have been empty.

"Today marks the 152nd day since the first reported COVID 19 death in our state operated veteran homes and Governor Murphy’s hollow promise that he will 'absolutely do a post-mortem on the veterans' homes, period' is long overdue," said Wiener.

To date, 199 residents of the Paramus Home have tested positive for the coronavirus. In Menlo Park, 188 have tested positive. To contrast those numbers, only eight residents at the Vineland home have tested positive.

In Paramus, 81 residents have died, along with 62 in Menlo Park and three in Vineland.

Recently, veterans home officials have said their earlier errors have been corrected, and they are better prepared to deal with future outbreaks, if they were to arrive.

New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Division of Veteran's Healthcare Services Director Sean P. Van Lew Sr. gave an update on the three facilities on July 28, saying it had been over 60 days since a positive test was received in the Vineland, 50 days in Menlo Park and 35 days in Paramus.

In addressing the impending flu season, which could bring a resurgence of the coronavirus, Van Lew said the homes are better equipped to handle it.

"I can assure you that we are better prepared, better stocked, and we are ready to be sure that our most precious national resource, our veterans, is number one in our priorities," he said.