2021-03-16 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
2021-03-16 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
(Part 2 of 3)
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you very much. This is the Secretary Alda Rego, Secretary Poppe and Commissioner Gladstone. We'll follow-up to some questions from the committee before we act on the bill, we are going to move on to the next section of of the agenda. I just want to remind people we're going to go over the one o'clock for sure, so, I'm going to have my staff to check with LIS, the tech folks to make sure we don't have a problem. We have a public hearing time, so we're going to go to testimony from legislators right now. I'm going to ask them to be concise, short and sweet, and at the same time, submit a written testimony so we can have it for the record. That way you can elaborate more if you want to, so we can move on next to the Holyoke community. We're going to start talking about the whole real community. We're going to start with Representative Duffy from Holyoke.
REP DUFFY - HB 64 - Thank you, Chair Pacheco, Cabral and members of the committee, I will be concise because there are fantastic advocates here that I really want you to have a chance to hear from. Of course, this bond bill and the Holyoke Soldiers home is very important to me for those of you who don't know. Since January 6th, I've been the state117 Rep from the fifth Hampden district. It's one of those districts that's continuous with the city, so, I am the state Rep for all Holyoke. So, both as state Rep for the past couple of months, and in the years before that as staff to my predecessor Rep129 Aaron Vega, I've worked really closely with the Holyoke Soldiers home, which is on a hill that overlooks my neighborhood, it's about five minutes from my house. Helping constituents and also, employees, not just in Holyoke, but throughout the region, this is a regional resource, it's important to all of us in the delegation both now as State rep but also as Rep Vega's aide, I worked a lot with all the Western Mass offices, from Worcester all the way to the Berkshires because this home really is a resource for the entire Western Mass region, I would say the five Western counties.
Before working for Rep Vega, I was actually an employee of SEIU and I was the Soldiers Home Union rep. I represented the CNAs, the LPNs and the janitorial staff. I understand a lot about the staff's needs, the scheduling, challenges that are faced in the Soldiers Home, this is an opportunity to have a new facility, let's be honest, it's because of the attention that came to the Soldier's home because of last year's crisis. The federal government has realized that we've got a real need here, they want to step up and help us out now, so there's an unprecedented opportunity. I hope that you can give a favorable report to this bond bill, it's greatly needed. I'm really happy to work with the Committee on any language changes you may be considering.
I just want to say, lastly, that not only am I a state rep, former staff person, former union member, I'm also the daughter of a World War Two vet. My father, like much of his generation, has passed away, so I'm both very attuned to the veterans community and have seen the changes that are coming, and this home is going to take that into consideration. I hope you can look favorably on this bond bill. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Representative Caffee, Senator Gobi.
SEN GOBI - HB 64 - Thank you, and301 thank301 you to the Chairs and the committee members for your patience today as well. I appreciate your commitment to our veterans and also about your concerns making sure that veterans across the entire Commonwealth are taken care317 of. I also appreciate the concerns there are on process because that obviously is extremely important even with these federal deadlines that are looming. I also want to offer my voice in support of this bond, and having this bill move as quickly as possible335 out of committee, understanding that you might be making a few changes to it. Just real quick, Governor Dival dedicated the home back in 1952, he said the scissors of false economy will never be used to cut the appropriations needed for the maintenance of this outstanding institution for the Veterans of Massachusetts.
Well, we have seen, unfortunately, there have been drastic cuts, and the care and dignity that the veterans need to be afforded has not been., we have not kept our commitment. This is an opportunity to now keep that commitment. As Pat mentioned, there is no question because of the atrocities that happened, that we are getting more attention, and I'm just going to hold up, I know it may be difficult to see, but this is the prayer card for Chuck Lowell, a constituent of mine who lost his life from COVID at the home back in April for him, for those veterans that we failed, that we failed. This is an opportunity now to do the right thing and to make sure that home is built for our future veterans. So thank you. And I appreciate your time. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Senator. Move on to Senator Villas. Chairman. Th
SEN VELIS - HB 64 - Thank you so much. I appreciate the time, and I'm going to try to get through this as fast as I can. I've got some written remarks, and I think I'm going to disregard a lot of them. I just want to begin by saying, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, that to truly understand what's at stake here involves a little bit about the home, which I think many of451 us have been to. But I guess what I would just say is that we truly are dealing with the most selfless population in the world. This is a population of folks who have always put the benefit and the well being of others in front of themselves. If you go to the Holyoke Soldier's home, most folks know that I'm the state469 Senator for the Holyoke soldiers home is to live with a sense of pride, pride with everything that's good about our country to this day, about a generation of people who did not hesitate when their call came from their nation to step up and serve their nation.
To see them, to interact with them, to drink coffee with them, to eat cookies with them, to hear their war stories, to talk about it, to see how much they value each other's company, and I think that's one of the most important things that I don't want to get lost here about the role these Holyoke soldiers home play. The camaraderie, they see each other, they get each other to laugh. It's widely known that veterans, for whatever reason in many instances don't want to share their stories, they share them with each other, they want to go there. I think it's really important to know and to grasp that we talk about our next generation of veterans.
We're talking about the future of this home is going to serve a group of generations that have been an all volunteer force. You know, less than one half of 1% of this country serves today. Less than one half of 1% of their country serves today. That's the generation that we're talking about, what distinguishes the current generation of veterans, who we are talking about, who this home will service from previous generation is that it's an all volunteer force with multiple combat deployments. You're going to be hard pressed, unlike previous generations who sacrifices no less but you're going to be hard pressed to find current generation Vets having multiple combat deployments.
You know, I tell this story, I think it's important then I'm going to wrap this up. You know, for those of us who have been to Afghanistan and Iraq, but I'm focusing on Afghanistan because I was recently there in 2018. When you leave this place called Bagram Airfield, it's one of the main installations we have there, as you're leaving and getting ready to hop on a plane to come home, there's a sign on the wall, and that sign on the wall says, live a life worthy of their sacrifice. It's a remembrance for all those who have lost their lives overseas, and it's a remembrance for all those that are going home, directing you to live that life of their sacrifice. We have an opportunity here to take care of the generation of people that have stepped forward, those who will continue to step forward and do so much more for the rest of us.
A couple of things, you know, in my humble perspective, a veteran is a veteran, no matter where you live, no matter where you lay your head, so I can't wait for the day that we have debates about future veterans homes or veteran services in southeastern Massachusetts, in Cape Cod, in Boston, wherever it is, and I can't wait to be the first652 person to join that fight because again, no matter where you are from a veteran is a veteran, is a658 veteran. Ask a veteran if it matters where they are from, ask a resident of the Holyoke soldiers home or the Chelsea soldier's home and I would just suggest to this committee that we should, in some instances, place ourselves in the position of those who we are talking about again, the most selfless generation that's out there.
The only other681 thing, too, I would say, is that we've heard and will continue to hear more about this small home concept, and I think that's really important and I think that is the future. The PCC, the patient centered care is the way going forth, that is the current trend, that's what we're talking about here. That is what this model is, this building that705 we're contemplating, that's contemplated in this bond bill is about that, is about that small constant, and it's going to be the way forward in terms of this is the only way that we can take care of what is going to be our next generation and current generation of veterans. I will end by this, we talked a lot about the UMass study, and I think there's a great quote that I just want to read for the group and it's from the UMass study with quotes Joe Galloway, on behalf of a country that too easily forgets the true cost of war, who pays that price?
I know why men and women who have been to war yearn to reunite, not to tell stories or look at old pictures, not to laugh or weep, comrades gather because773 they long to be with the men and women who once acted their best, men who suffered and sacrificed, who were stripped raw right down to their humanity. As we go forward and we have this debate, let's always keep in mind the population that we talking about. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Mr Chairman.
Thank you, Senator. Appreciate. If you have written testimony,793 don't forget to submit it electronically. And thank you for concisely your testimony to this afternoon. Um, we have Next is, um Senator Mike Rush.
Thank thank you, Mr Chairman, can you hear me? We can thank you very much.
SEN RUSH - HB 64 - Good afternoon, Chairman Pacheco, Chairman Cabral, members of the816 Joint Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today before the committee on an issue that is of extreme importance to each and every one of us, the residents of the Commonwealth and most importantly, our veterans and their families. Those of us who have raised our right hands and those who continue to do it and willing to lay down their lives in the defense of freedoms, these individuals who we talk about today, these individuals who live in the homes deserve the very best, and that cannot be argued. It is incumbent upon all of us to make sure that this in fact happens. General MacArthur said that all soldiers never die, they just fade away.
Fortunately for us here in Massachusetts, historically, that has not been the case. Historically, from the very beginning of our republic to the present, we have made our veterans needs the utmost importance, not just in words of thank you for your service, but by bold actions beginning with the Revolutionary War and through every armed conflict, Massachusetts has been at the forefront of offering aid, comfort and assistance to our veterans, their families and our gold star families. We have this discussion today in wake of the horrible tragedy at Holyoke, we must double down by reimagining the future of all of our veterans looking to provide quality services to older and ill veterans in all geographic areas of the state, and communication greater between the homes, the Commonwealth and the veterans they serve.
Being mindful of the need for veterans homes and long term care on a statewide level, including the amount of time that goes into plans for creating state of the art facilities for our most vulnerable veterans, House Bill 64 certainly is an action to encourage discussion and ask the necessary questions for our Vets and the resources for our veterans in Holyoke in which those and their families deserve and are entitled to in wake of the tragedy. Our mission and our charge as a Legislature is to provide long term care and housing to veterans across the Commonwealth to each and every one of our veterans. Given the latest known state data on our veterans populations, it is suggested that our veterans populations are not being fully served statewide and deserves to have a discussion in this current context.
In addition to supporting our veterans at Holyoke and Chelsea in every way that we possibly can, there is an opportunity today to address the issue. There is some very important information that is relevant to this discussion as we move forward. The Massachusetts veterans population has declined 45% since 2000, and this trend will continue over the next 10 years based on census data. 70% of the residents of both the Holyoke and the Chelsea Soldier's homes, currently from within the immediate surrounding neighborhoods, counties, towns where they currently set, data from the 2013 MIT report. Folks, these reports in this discussion cannot be overlooked, they must be understood to have a real conversation about moving forward, to do the very best1021 for our veterans and their families.
Anyone interested in reading them, if you haven't already, please contact my office, they are vitally important to this discussion. The data from the MIT report, a few interesting things, the largest number of veterans reside Middlesex County, Worcester and Essex County. Approximately 45% of the state's veterans population resides in these three counties. I'm going to give you a little bit of data, and then I'm going to sign off, Mr. Chairman. The MIT report from the 43% of the residents were from surrounding areas. Hampton County is what I have here. What is most telling, however, is 73% of veterans over 65 live in Bristol, Norfolk, Plymouth, Essex1066 and Middlesex Counties yet their options for housing are based upon Holyoke and Chelsea.
Furthermore, Barnstable county has seen an increase in veterans 55 and over. This data drives, discussions, legislation and policy. It has when we talked about de institutionalizing nursing homes and in state hospitals and focusing on greater needs and opportunities for individuals in the Commonwealth. So these figures and facts will be in my written testimony as well but they're important. The combined drawer of the current two homes is not aligned with what's known as spatial distribution of our state's veterans, especially those 65 and older. It was said to me years ago, there will always be a strong presence at both Holyoke and Chelsea, and there should be, there absolutely should be.
Regardless of the outcome of this legislation, the administration and legislation1126 needs to1127 have this conversation and to take this opportunity to embrace a plan for the re imagining of the state's long term care services delivery systems to be more aligned with this word, spatial distribution and the needs for tomorrow's veteran's. Furthermore, by focusing on best practices and alternate models of care, can the state and the current of future homes realize their full potential. Let me conclude by quoting a very well known quote by President Washington that said, 'their willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no1163 matter how justified, shall be directly proportion to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.'
Massachusetts has been number one in veterans treatment because our policies have been predicated on facts being stubborn things and knowledge being power. Let's work together during these unprecedented times to ensure Massachusetts continues to be a leader for all veterans of all corners of the Commonwealth. Thank you so much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Senator. At this time, I wanted for the for the record that also, the committee has received written testimony from Representative Joe Wagner. Uh, system Majority leader, uh, a support of age 64. And he personally called me. Talk about is written testimony and also about the committee obviously expediting this matter because it was not important for him and for his constituency. We had also on1223 the list Senator Commerford. Well, I don't think she's on level of testimony. If she does, come on. We'll recognize her at that point. I know the next item on the agenda is from Holyoke. But we do have someone who has. Also, his time is very restrictive, so we're going to allow out of all of that person to testify. And that's Jesse Flynn. The legislative, the rights of the same American veterans, the company. So, Jesse, thank you.
JESSE FLYNN - DISABLED AMERICAN VETERAN DEPARTMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS - HB 64 - Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for taking me out1261 to order, I appreciate it. DAV represents veterans from every conflict1267 in every city and town in Massachusetts, and we understand the need to make the Holyoke soldiers home a safe and comfortable facility for the men and women that call it home. This is not a new issue. In 2013, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Commission, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to examine the the president and future long term care of the state's veterans population. Following this report, a subsequent 2016 report was done by Commonwealth Medicine for the Legislative Commission on Veterans Long Term Care and Housing, mandated under Chapter 62 Section 32 of Valor Act two.
Both of these reports provide in depth analysis of1304 the current status and future needs of veterans and made substantial recommendations to improving access to long term care and services to veterans across the entire Commonwealth. To the best of our knowledge, very little, if any of this analysis has been debated or implemented by the Legislature or executive branch since that time. More shocking is that none of the report findings1323 have been factored into this current plan nor have either of the authoring organizations been called to testify before this committee or the special committee, which was formed last summer to investigate the tragic Covid outbreak at the Holyoke home.
As long time supporters of both the Holyoke and Chelsea Soldier's homes, DAV is very disappointed that the work done by Senator Rush and others on the Long Term Care Commission has been ignored or marginalized. The Covid 19 crisis of the Holyoke Soldiers home has1349 brought to the forefront long existing systematic problems in the way both of our soldiers homes are operated by the Commonwealth. A special committee was created by Senate president Spilka and then Speaker DeLeo in July 2020 to examine the Soldiers home system. The committee is still working, has not issued its final report. DAV feels that this committee should be allowed time to complete its report and provide its findings and recommendations before the Commonwealth1375 makes such a large investment into a single facility.
We ask the committee consider that elderly lift, wrote Massachusetts. We must carefully examine the1385 veteran population as it stands now and consider estimates for future population to properly1389 weigh the benefits of such an expenditure. According to VA the southeastern area of Massachusetts, including Fall River, New Bedford, the South Shore, Cape and Islands hold the largest number of veterans age 65 and older in the Commonwealth, tet there is no proposal for funding elder veteran1403 housing in this region or anywhere else outside Holyoke and Chelsea. We support investments that needs small home standards of the VA but we should also consider similar construction in other regions of the Commonwealth.
In 10 years, the VA and US Census Department1420 projects the overall Massachusetts veterans population will fall dramatically even with the new veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, and future potential conflicts factored into the equation. In 2031, a strong majority of our elderly veteran population will reside in Barnstable, Bristol and Plymouth County, absent, abandoning communities and support networks to reside for their remaining days hundreds of1442 miles away from their families and friends, These veterans will not have access to either home and will be left1447 without equal services, despite their service to our country and1451 commonwealth, and the fact that their hard earned tax dollars go towards supporting both locations as well with this new project.
Let me be clear and unambiguous, we recognize that both soldiers foams locations are in need of significant investment and the vital role they play in1466 caring for our veterans and their own geographical areas. Again, we strongly support new investments in these existing facilities, however, we are reluctant to endorse the specific legislation as a huge budget estimates in absence of a commitment to provide accessible long term options for veterans in areas of the Commonwealth where the greatest need currently resides and will continue to do so even after the population1486 numbers of older veterans fall dramatically in other geographical locations. The Massachusetts Veterans populations declined 45% since 2000.
This trend will continue and based on this, we question the rationale for making huge investments into only one or two large and centralized facilities that will offer access to only a small portion of our elderly veteran population, especially when the relevant data and projections show greater need in areas like Cape Cod and the South Coast. We recommend examining the entire system, consulting with elder care experts, creating a real and lasting plan that will support our oldest heroes across the entire Commonwealth. Such a plan could look at adding to the mix more contemporary approaches to aging services, including regional assisted living facilities, local adult day health services and more in home care, which many elder veterans and non veterans prefer.
Many other states have demonstrated that these models are more appropriate, highly popular and provide less costly alternatives to long term care. It is our recommendation1546 that these regional alternatives be considered in addition to the construction to a new, appropriately sized long term care facility in Holyoke and that's the DAV testimony. Thank you very much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Do you have an electronic president you could submit to the committee? I have submitted that, sir. Okay, great. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Well, we are going to move now. Yes. Mhm. Yeah. Just, uh,
SEN PACHECO - Just one quick question. Mr. Flynn, you're here representing the1579 disabled American veterans here in Massachusetts for the commonwealth as a whole?
FLYNN - Yes, I represent the official's statement from the entire department from our executive board. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Um, Senator Villas. Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr Chairman. Jesse, how are you? Very good, sir. How are you? I'm doing well.
VELIS - Quick question for you, you mentioned the MIT study of 2013 and the UMass study of 2016 and that the DAV for many reasons but one of them being that these programs weren't fully explored as the reason the DAV is opposed to this?
FLYNN - Yes, sir.
VELIS - So did the DAV publicly come out against Chelsea in 2018 building?
FLYNN - I do not believe that we came out against that.
VELIS - Any reason for the difference?
FLYNN - I think that we've just kind of evolved our thinking on how we're going to care for long term care for elderly veterans and with the Covid break at Holyoke, we kind of realized that we're not serving the entire population of Massachusetts. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Okay. Thank you.
Thank you very much. We're gonna go back to the agenda, but we're gonna We're gonna have We have about five individuals from the group that we call Holyoke polio community concerns. Uh, before we begin, Uh, so you'll know this is a public hearing. Uh, so you, uh, if you have written testimony, would love you to send it to us electronically as well. In addition to your conference today, we1698 would like you to be concise, having a limited to three minutes. But he be1704 no, uh, conscious about that other. Many other people still have to testify. So please take close to that number of minutes as possible. And when you begin, we would like you to state your name, your affiliation, and where do you live? We don't need your street address. We need your community where you live. That's normally what we would ask if it was in person hearing. Uh, so we're following the same thing. This is a public hearing, so expect all of that from you. So the 1st 1st line is Jesus Pereira, and please identify yourself and your affiliation can wear you list should a
JESUS PEREIRA - HOLYOKE VETERANS SERVICES - HB 64 - Good afternoon, and thank you, Chairman Cabraal, Chairman Pacheco and the rest of the committee members. I am testifying in support of House Bill 64. My name is Jesus Pereira, I am the director of Veteran's Services for the City of Holyoke, an Army National Guard, veteran of the Operation Iraqi Freedom, a lifelong resident of Holyoke. My testimony today will focus on two key points and I'll be sure to be1777 brief. One is my support funding of the reconstruction of the home and maintaining a resource in Western Massachusetts. Supporting this bill is extremely necessary in my mind and an absolute necessity. Western Massachusetts has long battled the state for equitable funding for programs and services for as long as I've been involved in any form of government, it's often joked that anything west of I495 is just eastern New York but I assure you that we are Massachusetts residents through and through.
Members of the working class in my community and other communities west of the I495 quarter, we pay Massachusetts state taxes and we to expect nothing less than equitable and fair treatment as it pertains to funding of major projects that seek to not only improve the quality of life of veterans in my local community, but also the lives of all Massachusetts veterans. Take a moment and imagine your loved one, a mother or father or sister or brother, grandparents shoehorned in a room with three other individuals in a medical facility. Furthermore, imagine that this is not happening during a time of war or depression, it's happening today.
Would you consider this medical care is honorable and dignified? If you were given the opportunity to tell that then 18 year old War veteran when they came home and it was time for their commonwealth to care for1852 them that they better have the names of the who's1854 who list and know the right people and even then they will have no privacy or space as they be sharing space with alien1861 veterans? Could you face a veteran who's lost friends on the enemy's battlefield and also the battlefield of invisible wounds and tell them they don't deserve quality care and space? Would you look me in the eye and tell me when it's1874 my turn to receive care at the soldiers home that I don't deserve it? Do our veterans deserve the best that we can give them toward?
Do our veterans deserve the space? Where veterans not deserve quality health care in an environment that echoes the mission statement of the soldiers home care with honor and dignity. The city of Holyoke is flanked by two air bases, numerous armories and is home to just about every branch and component of the armed forces. These bases and armory still, producing veterans as we use the reserve forces during the time of war has become the norm rather than the exception since the Gulf War. It is often that members of the reserve component have roots in and around their units, they build lives here, raise families here, pay taxes here, and when the time comes for health care, long term care, they should receive it here, the place they call home.
I'm going to take a minute and go off script and talk about some numbers that we all sort of been bouncing around. But you know the VA outset, about 120,000 veterans have access to the western central Mass healthcare system. That's all west of 495. Looking at the 2019 census, we have at least 90,000 veterans self proclaimed in that census west of 495. So you're talking about Berkshire, Hampton, Hampshire, Western Franklin County. There's another piece of this ask that we haven't brought up yet and that is the saturation of not only veterans but poverty rates. Western Massachusetts in Hampden County is 13.8% of poverty. We know that you have a saturation of veterans in Barnstable and Plymouth County, you know, but when you look at their poverty rate 7.9% in Plymouth and 9.4% in Barnstable, Middlesex County, 6.9%.
So when1986 we start discussing removing money from this particular bill or not funding it fully, you're going into the pockets of people who don't have the means to take care of themselves. I'm a veteran service agent, I look for resources for my veterans day in and day out, we try to find them via healthcare, long term care wherever we can find it. But when you start2006 looking at the locations of all the facilities, not only that the VA has, but that the state has, there's a lot more east of that line that we call 495 than we have West. In closing, I thank the Chairman Cabral and Pacheco for your time and opportunity to testify today. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you very much. Next will be2031 John parents. The correct one John Parody. Okay, you identify yourself, give you affiliation the way you live.
JOHN PARADIS - HOLYOKE SOLDIERS HOME COALITION - HB 64 - Thank you, Chairman Cabral, thank you, Chairman Pacheco, dear members of the Joint Committee. My name is John Parody, I'm a member of the Holyoke Soldier's Home Coalition, retired Lieutenant Colonel, Air Force and a veteran who served my country during multiple deployments to include service in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. I live2061 in Florence, Massachusetts. From May of 2013 through December 2015, I was employed at the Soldiers home in Holyoke, serving as both the communications officer and then Deputy Superintendent. I am speaking to you today to voice my strong support for passage of House 64, the Governor's bill to fully and completely finance the reconstruction of the soldiers home in Holyoke.
On March 31st, just nearly one year ago, as we were all beginning to learn more about the outbreak of Covid, 19, at the soldiers home, the public was in complete shock. Friends, family colleagues asked me, how could this have happened? You see where I'm from, everyone knows the soldiers home in Holyoke, it's part of our DNA, it's our connection to our past and to our future. The Home is a living memorial, caring for veterans who served and bled for this country in every major campaign in American history since the Spanish American War. It's our sentinel for freedom, a place of honor, it's the home for our mothers, our fathers, our grandparents our aunts, our uncles or brothers and sisters, it's their home, and it's our home.
So on March 31st I was asked, how could this have happened? Aren't we supposed to be the best? Aren't we better than this? Here is what I wrote that morning, I am depressed, angry and overcome with tremendous sadness to hear about the deaths of several veterans at the soldiers home in Holyoke and to hear that more veterans and staff have tested positive for Covid 19. The news that the soldiers home in Holyoke is beyond belief, but there have been warnings and discussions about the home ad nauseam. I've been asked by several people to share my thoughts2163 once again, and I will repeat what I have voice to others so many times before. The soldiers home in Holyoke2169 should be the shining example on the hill of how long term care facility should be run.
There should never be questions about staffing, hiring freezes or having a mandate over time for employees, or how many veterans must share a small room2183 or whether or not a veteran gets checked in the middle of the night, so that was March 31st. In one month's time, our coalition2191 was formed, some now 50 active members, strong with people like myself who worked at the home, family2199 members,2199 the2199 directors of Veterans Services who are on the front line every day serving our veterans, folks like you just heard from Jesus Pereira as well as members of all the major veteran service organizations. We've had more than 40 cities and towns pass resolutions in support of our called action to fund and build a new soldiers home in Holyoke.
We felt standouts, we've written our beds, we've sent out countless media releases, we've talked to anyone and everyone about why we need a new home, all on our volunteer time, there is no going back, no going back. We truly believe that we cannot, as a community, heal from such a tragic loss without a new path forward and that path forward must be a2240 new shining example on the Hill and a New Soldiers home in Holyoke. I am intimately familiar with both the MIT report from 2013 and the 2016 study from the Long Term Care and Housing Master Plan Commission. I provided information to both, I also worked for the federal Veterans Health Administration, and it was on the staff of the regional network of VA New England healthcare system.
I have thoroughly read2266 both reports several times, as well as eight other studies and reports, and all are very clear, the soldiers home in Holyoke over a span of several years, decades, really fell behind in modernization and no longer could conform to the leading long term care standards. That's right, our state, which prides itself, was not a leader. Honestly, in all due respect to Senator Rush and my DAV comrade, here's my copy of the 2013 Report, and it reads on page nine as a key finding about spatial distribution in our state that although this misalignment exists, it must be noted that the supply of long term care services provided by the homes is far below any reasonable approximation of what the demand for these services is.
The observed misalignment should be placed in context by this fact. From a policy perspective, the spatial misalignment of 455 long term care residents, that's the census for the two homes, when there are currently about 293,000 veterans, 55 are older who might use the services of the homes makes the misalignment appear inconsequential. That our commonwealth and its citizens allowed this to happen is on all of us, regardless of where you live. It's well known out in Western Mass that the soldiers home has long been underfunded and understaffed, and after this past year, with Covid 19, there should not even be a single ounce of opposition or bone of contention about making the new soldiers home the right home.
Another statistic, 40% of veterans on the wait list for a bed at the soldiers home die before they are admitted. I ask you, Is that how you care for veterans in our commonwealth? Folks, we must move forward. I believe emphatically that the DCAMM and Payet design and thank you, Commissioner Gladstone, it's a beautiful design is exactly in keeping2387 with the two studies envisioned. Much improved upgrades to our two state veteran homes infrastructure and to align both homes with the best in industry standards to meet the needs and wants of future generations of veterans. Make no doubt about it, a new Chelsea soldier's home was much needed, and now the state needs to take the next step and build a new Holyoke soldiers home.
The new2412 design before you matches the person centered and patient centered care models envisioned in the UMass 2016 report by building in the missing resources and the physical plan that we always believe as a staff, we needed to realize the promise to provide the best care with honor and dignity. It includes adult day health care, a much discussed model of care in the two studies, it also incorporates the philosophies and the design principles of the greenhouse project, it shifts the level of care from the traditional medical model to a more dynamic, person centered model of care and a home like environment with single rooms, private baths and a smaller residential style care unit of 10 to 16 beds each. And, yes, there are many best practices for small house designs in a stacked urban type setting, it2459 can2459 be done in Holyoke.
As an aside by World War two Korean War veteran Father, 93 is in an assisted, living small house designed facility, and his facility has had no Covid deaths throughout this entire pandemic. Finally, I will say this bond bill is another step in moving forward and for the state to once again be a national leader. First, the new Chelsea soldier's home will soon be completed, then, if you please move expeditiously on2492 this bond bill, a new Holyoke Home will be open in 6 to 8 years, and now let's together as a commonwealth work on a broader goal of providing even more sites of care in other regions and locations across our state. I look forward to being part of that conversation to, and I will just as enthusiastically support that effort, sign me up. Thank you all for this opportunity to speak today.2514 SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, John. We do have a handout from senator videos. I don't know if he wants to ask. Now he wants to wait for this group of folks to testify first.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I Apologize. That was I didn't take it down for before. I apologize. All right?2534 Right. So we move on. Thank you. Uh, so we move on to the next presenter. That's Paul,
uh, for Benny. Right? Uh, borrowed Bonnie's. Yeah. Okay. Spelled, misspelled. Misspelled. Yes, it is. Yeah. I'm sorry. No problem.
Chairman
PAUL BARABANI - HOLYOKE SOLDIERS HOME COALITION - HB 64 - Representative Cabral, Senator Pacheco, members of the joint Committee, I thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony at today's hearing. Name is Paul Barabani, I'm a Chicopee resident, I served 32 years in the military, retiring as a colonel in 2002. I served as a superintendent of the soldiers home in Holyoke from 2011 to 2016. In 2010, the home was cited by the VA for violations of resident room size. With support of the secretary of health and human services, the renovation of the home became a top priority for EOHHS. At the time, DCAMM conducted a survey which determined that of the 278 beds, less than 5% met the VA's standards and we talk about being number one and caring for our veterans.
2626 A2626 plan to bring the home into compliance was developed, and in February of 2013, the design was approved by the VA for that 65% reimbursement2637 that we're talking about now. That project would have resulted in 2702642 beds to include 120 private rooms in a new addition, the total project cost was $116 million, the state portion was approximately $40 million. Unfortunately, in 2013, we2663 didn't get the job done. Funding was never approved. Despite the documented deficiencies and known threat to resident care and safety, state government left our veterans at risk. Now, it's my belief that the individuals who stood in opposition to that funding in 2013 had no idea of the dire consequences of their opposition and actions.
This month, we mark that gruesome milestone. It was one year ago, March of 2020 that the rapid spread of Covid 19 at the Soldier's Home brought grief and misery to so many families and staff at the home. So while $400 million is2714 a significant amount of money, bear in mind that the actual state portion should be only 35%, so we're talking $140 million. You want talk numbers, talk 77 dead veterans at the home, that's a better number to think about. If the 2013 project had been approved, the home would have had 270 beds, and the state costs would have been $40 million, 40 more beds in the current program, at a savings of $100 million but in 2013, we decided to kick the can down the road once again while knowing veterans were at risk.
I've been here before, I've had a plan approved by the VA superintendent, knowing what needs to be done, having a plan to resolve the2764 situation and confident that our state government, especially the legislators who profess that we provide the best care for our veterans, would make the right decision for our veterans, unfortunately, that did not happen. Senator Gobi mentioned a quote from Governor Deaver during the dedication of the ceremony regarding the scissors of a false2788 economy. The decision not to fund the home in 2013 is an example of that false economy. Yes, the state saved money, but regrettably, seven years later, that savings contributed to the many premature and preventable deaths of our veterans.
While logical position has been established2815 for the creation of additional facilities in the state based on the studies from 2013 and 2016, it's ironic to me that suddenly the needs of the other geographic areas surfaced today. What have representatives of those areas been doing since 2013 and 2016? I feel it would be imprudent to derail the current initiative of the soldiers home at Holyoke and capitalize on the VA support and projected funding to support the project. Obtaining VA approval for another facility is2850 uncertain and time consuming, likely to take years. A national facility could be built in addition to Chelsea and Holyoke, not in lieu of this project.
It is time for unity, it's time for action, it is time to move this project forward and demonstrate our collective appreciation of the military of service of veterans as well as the sacrifices of their families. I urge each and every committee member to support House 64, provide the funding to build the soldiers home in Holyoke and in doing so, allow the healing process to begin. Subject to your question, that concludes my testimony. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Well, thank you very much, Paul, If you can hold on in case there are questions I do have actually a couple of questions in reference to your testimony. I'll be here to the end. Let's let's hear. The next person is Cheryl Turgeon.
Yes, that's me.
CHERYL TURGEON - HOYLOKE SOLDIERS HOME COALITION AND FAMILY MEMBER - HB 64 - I'm Cheryl Turgeon, I am a daughter of a Korean War disabled veteran who lived at the home for four years. I was also a civilian at Barnes International Base for three years, and I'm also a member of the coalition. I live in East Longmeadow, Mass and I specifically chose the Holyoke soldiers home for my father. I'd like to share my screen with you, if that's possible. I would like to start off with a moment of silence as I'm representing other families whose their members are in this picture. I would like to start off with a moment of silence to honor and remember these veterans who lost their lives in the pandemic last year. Could we please take a few moments? I'd like you to know some of their names; Ron, Leo, Constance, Chuck, Stephen, Robert, Harry, James, Dennis, Tony and many more. Over 77 plus vulnerable veterans died on the battle at the Holyoke Soldiers home last year and there were other heroes who are not on this slide; Kim, Cheryl B, Tandy. Jane Dan.
They walked into this 70 year old building with a3021 known contagion in it, and they3024 took care of3025 our loved ones, these men and women risking their own lives with little to no PPE little, to nothing for protection for them or they're veterans with in cramped spaces3038 where men laid side by side with beds less than 12 inches apart dying. Ask a 20 year old CNA how she felt feeding Swedish meatballs to a veteran when two men were dying next to him, and then she later had to bag their bodies and bring them out to a refrigerated truck. This didn't happen in a war zone, it didn't happen in Bosnia, it didn't happen in Afghanistan, it happened in Holyoke and it happened on the hill, and it happened to our loved ones. They're not numbers to us, they're veterans and they are loved ones.
I chose the Holyoke soldiers home for my dad on purpose, when he finally got3083 in after spending four years in a VA sponsored adult day health and I could no longer3088 care for him 24/7. I got to enjoy him as a daughter, and I brought him to the home specifically to be with his comrades, where I could go back to being a daughter to him and not a rot caregiver, and I knew that he would be taken care of. I felt like I hit the lottery that he loved this home, and he spent his years there. On November 13th in this operate picture with my mask on, I walked into the home for the last day before it3119 was locked down. I'm a recent lung cancer survivor, and I had half a long missing, but I wanted to see my father, so I asked for masks. I walked into the lobby and there was no hand sanitizer and no masks.
As they would have3134 during cold and flu season, and I said, where is are the masks? And they said, we put them away. I said, put them away? Because people were stealing them. They weren't protecting workers, they weren't protecting the veterans and they weren't protecting each other. I knew as a foreshadowing that this home was ill equipped to take care of these veterans, both with PPE equipment and ultimately poor decision making but I trusted, and I prayed that things would be better for my father, a Korean War disabled veteran who3168 dropped supplies and braved enemy combat fire to the troops in Japan and in Korea. In this last picture in the lower right, the nurse snapped a picture of him on March 27th and said he's doing great because the home was3183 locked down but we heard from3185 the media that there were deaths in the building.
We kept calling and we were frantic to get updates and if they were answering the phones, they were saying, we can't tell you, we don't know, we're waiting tests, we don't know. So the nurse snapped this picture and she said, he's doing great, he's reading a newspaper and he's fine. But over the next few days, he became lethargic. He became tired and he was feverish. Finally the guard came and the assessment team came, and they sent them to the hospital, where he stayed on a floor for six days on a3221 Covid floor and on the picture on3223 my3223 left, I said goodbye to him on the ER doctors phone because they said they would not have a ventilator to keep them alive. But you know what?3231
This strong air man, this strong soldier, he survived, but I couldn't put him anywhere else because he was coming from the Holyoke Soldiers home, so I had to send him back to this home. So this picture of him, after spending six days on the Covid floor and coming back, is on Easter Sunday and I said a prayer and I thank God that he came back to me and I prayed, and I got to3254 enjoy him a little bit more. But Covid has its lingering effects, and in April again, he took a turn for the worst. So this colonel called me every morning at 0800hrs to give me an update on how he was doing, and he said, Ma'am, I'm not confident today, I'm not seeing it. So he picked him up and he put him in a wheelchair, and he brought him outside to me, wrapped in a cold blanket.
I said, Dad, how are you? He said, I'm tired and I had to look and I said, are you giving up? He didn't have the strength to lift his head, but he lifted his eyes and he told me, no. I said, okay, we're going to fight. We're going to fight, we're going to bring you back. I'm going to help you from the outside, and I need them to help you on the inside and I relied on staff to please take care of him because he was fighting to come back from this Covid outbreak. But instead, what happened? He was laid in a bed for days and days where he was feeling abandoned and forgotten and Covid3322 feet or poor circulation or both wanted to take his left toe in his right foot.
So my poor father had to go back to base state for two surgical procedures to open up the circulations in his3335 feet to try to save them. This 89 year old man was still told me that day, I'm going to keep going and I want to fight. I said, okay, dad, I'm going to fight with you. Luckily, summer came and we finally got to share our suffer socially distance hug and look at this man, he gained back his weight, although now he was wheelchair bound and he was never going to walk again from this pandemic3362 and he was cold all the time with poor circulation. But he would ask me about the kids and we got to enjoy him and we got to spend time with him through the summer.
So then what happened? As we decided we needed to make a change, that this could never happen to anyone else, these families were losing their loved ones, and the numbers were climbing by the day. So know our names, Cheryl, Cheryl, Cheryl, Laurie, Susan, Brenda. We joined and we formed a coalition, a grassroots effort to fund the Holyoke soldiers home. We stood out in 90 degree days with our Senator Velis and we held signs and we said, this can never happen again on our state governments watch. Not ever again, these families cannot3412 go through this. So we came together and we formed a plan with Mr. Barrow, Bonnie and with Mr. Paradis and a lot of stakeholders and we met with Payet and we said, what could do we do better so that this home is prepared for veterans who deserve better than adequate care?
They deserve the very best care, they are most patriotic, loyal and selfless citizens and we needed to do that for them. The summer came through and my dad from turned 89 to 90 and received a beautiful citation from everyone, and he was thrilled. He actually thought he won the publisher's clearinghouse but even during this extended lockdown dates, my father contracted scabies in a locked down facility. How does that happen? With infection control3462 procedures and things like that in place, we need to build a home that is state of the art, that can anticipate a pandemic, anything like this, so that these men and women can never, ever go through that again. Into December, I received this beautiful note from my dad, and it said, I am grateful to have such a caring daughter like you, stay healthy and make good choices.
While he didn't write that, the rec therapist did, that's his signature, love Dad. Make good choices, and that's what I'm asking all of you to do; make good choices for our veterans who have given so much so that we could sit here behind this computer and debate what they need. We know what they need, we3510 need3510 to take that ball over the finish line, and we need to take care of our citizens so that they are not forgotten, that they're not abandoned. On December 27th, I found out my dad did have the antibodies, even though he did get the vaccine and on two days later, he went to the hospital and I prayed again, and I prayed really hard, and I prayed that he would make it over and come back to me, but at this point, his body was too tired and too frail.
So I said goodbye to my father. I got to take my father out the front door of3548 the Holyoke Soldier's home unlike the families who could not have a farewell ceremony or a Ferrel tribute, and some of them went out the back door through the refrigerated truck. No, I got to take my father out and they played taps and this home the workers came out and the Patriot guards came out and the coalition's came out, members came out and we honored this man because this is what he deserved. I sang that mellow deal Love Miodrag, Yogic Johann, if you want to be bilingual, my polish to him. I told him that I loved him so but it was okay that I could let him go now, but I was not going to end the fight.
This home is what we should have had in 2012, but we didn't get it and John Paradis explained we didn't get it. The home on the bottom is what we should have, home to all of the Commonwealth. I drove the 40 minutes each way to visit him, and I would do it again. I would do two hours if I had to, but now what I have this week, people who are honoring our veterans put his banner on a flagpole outside. So when I go to Cherry Street, I don't get to visit him anymore but I can look up at that banner and said3622 somebody cared, the nurses at the Holyoke Medical Center cared, people cared who came to his funeral, the Patriot Guards, and I hope that you care as members of this House and Senate, and you vote this bill that Governor Baker has brought to you because we honor and we remember them.
That's not all their pictures, the statistics are not even out as to how many have died because they3647 were Covid recovered or because they've had lingering complications. Starting with over 220 veterans and I believe they're down under 80. It's unconscionable. My father didn't die peacefully, and he didn't die gracefully. It was a horrible thing to watch his lungs fill until he took his dying breath but what I will do and I along with coalition members, and I ask you please support this bill. We vote, no, you're voting against these faces, their families exponentially. Thank you.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Does anyone have any questions? I know Revert is not behind me. So we're going to ask. See if people have questions. You can remove your screen so we can so I can see everybody else. I would appreciate it.
Okay. Thank you, Cheryl. And that was a wonderful presentation, by the way. Thank you for that moment of silence. Um, and, uh, we want you to know that we're all in this committee. We cared very deeply about these issues, and we care very deeply about veterans and how we treat our veterans. That's precisely why we're having a public hearing so we can hear from you so we can hear from the general public, not just from so not just from the bureaucrats but also for folks like you.
I think also what I'm speaking on the families. If this form part of the committee, state government could also recognize that3766 those families who lost loved ones did not have a ceremony or attribute. And that needs to happen as we approach the one year calling. All of you, I know that Mr Lowell's and somebody was one of the districts here. We need to make that happen for them. They need to know that their lives mattered. I3784 agree with you. So I I think the administration I hope some members of the administration are listening following this public3793 hearing so they can hear directly from you as well.
Uh, this is3797 being streamed on the legislative website, so anybody in the world can watch it, and one of the reasons why we asked for people to identify themselves where they live. It's because in Massachusetts, anybody can walk into a public hearing, testified, regardless where they live, even if they live outside of the state or outside of the country. They have an opinion, uh, of whatever is being heard publicly that day. You don't have that right? We don't have that right to most most legislation in3826 the country. And you certainly don't have that right before Congress. You have to be invited by Congress to testify people. And we can think of veteran for that. That's right. You better believe it. You better believe it.
But I wanted to Oh, um, go back to Paul's testimony and, uh, see if any anybody, any members of the committee of a question or comment, if not, then will be my turn. After that many members and the senators and the members of the house from the committee, it's not. Let me ask. Well, I
REP CABRAL - I want to go back to little bit of your testimony around the 2013 plan that you talked about, I can tell you that the Legislature was not involved in that, you know, there was no mechanism coming from the legislature for that project, it might have been something that was discussed where the administration at the time or plan of the administration, but they never pursued. If that was the case, they never pursued with the Legislature. Any bonding bill to pursue the building of that facility at that particular time. So can you tell us a little bit more where the whole project was that in terms of the state?
BARABANI - At the time I was working for the assistant secretary at the EOHHS so that was my conduit of information. I don't believe my testimony said that it was denied by the Legislature and there's a more broad statement of state government let us down. So we had submitted a plan for approval. As I said, in 2013, February was a signed letter from the VA with that project approved and leadership from EOHHS told me that they went forward to seek funding. I was told that they were unable to get the funding. I don't understand the dynamics that happened at that level between the administration and the legislature, all I was told that the funding was not available,3963 and the project wasn't going forward.
That project remains on the VA list at this time and at the outbreak of the pandemic at the Soldiers home, it became aware that the board of trustees at the home were unaware that the project already existed on the book that would have provided 270 beds and 120 bed edition. So somehow that information wasn't passed on to the board of trustees. I even spoke with the people3997 at the VA Construction Grant program and that project could have moved forward but we chose in the state, felt it was best modify the project to allow for the enhanced infection control, and that's what the new project would provide.
CABRAL - Well, I mean, I understand but I think it's important to understand the process all these things go about when you make channel statements like that because, quite frankly, I've been in the Legislature, besides this committee, I have Chaired the committee on Bonding in the past, no such proposal ever came before that committee. If it had, I can tell you it would have been supported and moved favorably from that committee on for debate on the floor of the House. The4045 only other project that was before this one, it was before the committee that I Chaired, the bonding committee, the housing floor was the Chelsea's home. By the way, we expedited it, and we we authorized it.
If you were at the beginning of this hearing, you heard that they talked a lot about what was going on in Chelsea, I personally have not heard much about it officially, I'm saying officially about exactly what went on, but we're going to pursue that as well, to make sure we know exactly the $200 million authorization at the time for the Chelsea's home has been used, spent. As you know, once the Legislature authorizes these funding4087 mechanism then it becomes the responsibility of the administration, which is about it is follow through. Then, of course, we can have a role of oversight at some point on the line on that but I think it's4102 important you probably make that recommendation along with where you were. That recommendation probably went to EOHHS and then from there could have gone to the administration and finance.4112 Usually, a lot of the bond bills come from administration and finance to the legislature but it never came, I can tell you that, SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
it never came.
can navigate. So I just wanted to talk by then. Well, I think thank you for your comments. And again, I don't understand the dynamics. However, it's good to hear you say that you would have supported in 2013. It's good to hear that you would support that you did support Chelsea in 2017, and therefore, that creates an expectation that we will be support of this thing in 2000 and 21 which is needed to rectify a situation that has existed at that home for over a decade and hasn't been addressed. So yeah, I just wanted to, uh
Well, I I appreciate your testimony and your honesty, And that's precisely why we have public hearings is to hear from folks that before we never heard that right. If we didn't have you on talking about this proposal, we had never had heard about the other proposal design.
If I could, we briefed the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs at the legislature. They were aware of it. So you may not have been personally, but the Legislature was, uh, just just to make just to make the point, you can brief If there is no legislation before the legislature, then the Legislature cannot act on.
Right, Um and and, uh, so I just wanted to clarify so, uh, because I think4209 the members of this committee are very, very supportive of veteran issues. Ah, they've always been, uh, since I've been in the legislature, that's been a very important priority for me. As I said during the American doing4224 some of the remarks in the past, Yeah, uh, in New Bedford that I represent. We are extremely proud of the services. We provide all sorts of veterans in the city. Uh, you know, we have folks who have answered the call every time the country needs them, and some of them, unfortunately, have paid with the ultimate ultimate sacrifice. And I even mentioned an immigrant because I know people sometimes forget immigrants in an effort many of the immigrants special during the Vietnam War. In other words, if people answered the call as well, um, you know, like in my city the first American soldier to die in Vietnam was a Portuguese American Immigrants came here with his parents at the age of 10 years old and 20 years old. You died in Vietnam, so and we are very proud of that young man at the time. And we continue to remember him every time. On March 29 I believe we remember all the Vietnam had so much 29.
We like emphasis. Also, the immigrants that are part of that worst as well. So now So that my my we can count on your support for this, uh, bill. Oh, I mean, you can count on my support. I have always supported every bill. When it comes to veterans by committee, I think it's the committee. It's the committee's role to analyze what's before us. And if we think there is a need to change any language, then that's the That's the role of listening to people like you and see if there is a need to and change or modify whatever we think needs to be done to actually meet the goals of of the project. Thank you very much. Anybody?
Senator Vielis U. S Senator views Mr Chairman thank you again so very much.
VELIS - I've got a question, I guess it's for Jesus, John and Paul and I kind of just wanted to get your response to this. You know, we've heard a lot today about regions of the state where there's kind of an unmet need in terms of there's no home, there's no services, there's no beds, and I really just want to get your take on that in terms of because the one thing I should have prefaced my remarks by saying, you're all from Western Massachusetts. So when I hear those comments about unmet needs in other parts of the state like I did with my testimony, the first thing that I say and certainly in my capacity as a Senator and the current Chairman of the veterans and federal affairs is what can I do and sign me up for however, we want to do that.
But I guess what I would say, my observation is that just because there's these unmet needs in other parts of the Commonwealth, it doesn't negate4394 the needs in Western Massachusetts, just like in Western Massachusetts, whatever we have in Western Massachusetts doesn't negate the needs of the Eastern part of the state. So, I just want to be very clear your position in advocating for the Holyoke soldiers home, and I think John may have alluded to this, and maybe you did as well, Paul and maybe Jesus, but I missed it, none of you share the persuasion that the belief that we shouldn't be talking about these issues and these unmet needs in other parts of the state, SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
correct?
Whoever I would like to go first here, um,
PEREIRA - I make my living helping indigent veterans, you all may be aware of the Chapter 115 program where we provide assistance to veterans that are at or about 200% of the poverty level. We sign people up for resources in the region that will help them with their lives and to include long term character soldiers home. I guarantee you that we've had people who have applied to go into the soldiers home who never made it in and passed away before they made it in. I guarantee you that their families, who didn't have political connections to get family members that needed the help from their home into the soldiers home. There's still a need, there are times where there's over 300 people waiting to get into the soldiers home. In an indigent area that I live in, the community that I grew up in, there's still a4480 need to help the veterans from this community, especially when we're constantly putting out new veterans right here in Western Mass. Of course, I support taking care of all veterans from all areas of the state, but you can't remove the resource that I have here that's limited in its capacity. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Yeah, mhm.
BARABANI - I'll just touch on4502 capacity. When I was at the home as superintendent, the capacity was 265. Now we're talking about a reduction in that bed down to about 230 under the new plan. So we had concerns about the reduction in capacity because at the time that we had a wait list of over 340 people. Our admissions for an average year would be about 156 admissions, so that's 340 people that you see there was a year to two year wait list at the time I left the home. The study that was done in conjunction with the plan this past year, November, demonstrated that 40% of the people on the waiting list died before they could even have their application acted upon.
So I see statistical data of number of veterans in a declining population but I doubt that I would ever see the day that there would not be a demand and the need for those beds at Holyoke and certainly the need for4573 additional beds in the state of Massachusetts, and sounds like there's a substantive to argument or discussion for that being in Southeastern Mass or wherever it is,4582 we need it. But we needed at Holyoke as well, let's get this done while the old burden hands were two in the bush, I mean, right now we have4591 it within grasp to be able to make Holyoke happen, there's time down the road to be able to do what has to be done to identify locations and and put in projects to do additional housing or beds for other parts of the state. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Just
Hi, John.4611 Senator Villas.
PARADIS - So I just grabbed out of one of my briefing books, you know me. I still have all of them. So this is from a 2014 slide, 58 category one. ready veterans, so we worked the whole process improvement as you well know, that looked at triaging every veteran so the ones most in need would get placement as quickly as expeditiously4637 as we could, right? So we did away with that old paradigm of first come first serve or who you knew, call your legislator, get in the home. We did away with that and we went to a system, 58 needing care immediately. As Paul said on this particular day, briefing legislators 342 veterans. Paul and I did go in fact to the Statehouse and briefed the Joint Veteran Affairs and Federal Affairs Committee and told him about the 2012 design and the 2014 adult day health care.
So I believe the legislature knew whether it got to good folks like Chairman Pacheco and Chairman Cabral, that's a whole another thing as Paul mentioned but we've been talking about the demand that the soldiers home for years. In my last job with the VA, my job was to do outreach. I did 10,000 miles a month traveling every corner of our commonwealth and it didn't matter to me if I could get a veteran in the Chelsea at the VA community living center in Bedford, down to West Haven, Connecticut, Newington, Connecticut, North Hampton or Holyoke. Just as you said, Senator Velis, a veteran is a veteran, is a veteran and I'm all in and absolutely our state must be looking. We got a tsunami coming, folks, between the Vietnam veterans that need to care now and us Post 9/11 veterans, this is4728 John Villas has said.
We've got a lot of stuff going on, we're going to be needing care sooner than you think, I've already got stuff going on with me, probably not too far away from being at the soldiers home myself,4741 friends. So I'm doing this now for all of my comrades, all my brothers and sisters and, yes, get a new home in New Bedford, get a new home in Taunton, get a new home on the cape, get a new home in Pittsfield, do it, but don't take away from what we've worked so hard to get attention on what's occurred in Holyoke. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you, Senator.
Well, okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mr Chairman.
VELIS - You know, I just want to say I think it's very, very important to always kind of give this perspective, right? The last time, we have roughly 380 to 90 to 400,000 veterans in the Commonwealth today. I have read certain projections that around 2030 that number is going to be more towards 250,000, 260,000 veterans. I guess the point, I would say, is that between Holyoke and Chelsea right now, as recently as yesterday, the numbers on the books with the BA between the two homes, I think are 749, and that's between Holyoke and Chelsea. So, I think one of the things that's important for us all to remember, is that we are just between these two homes talking about a very small subsection of the veteran population and there's going to be ample opportunity in any number of areas to come up with ways to build in other parts of the Commonwealth to pursue this small home greenhouse strategy that the VA is pushing.
We're talking about a very limited number and both studies have said, MIT and UMass, that there will always be a Chelsea and Holyoke Soldiers home. So why not when we have the opportunity to make this right in light of the past and in light of the going forward, do that? You know, there's been a lot of talk about regional equity? You know we're on the topic of regional equity and also bring up the fact that you know that plan that wherever it went back in 2013, Holyoke didn't get that, but in 2018, Chelsea did get that. So I mean, if you want to talk about regional equity, there's a lot of folks out in Western Massachusetts can have that conversation for a very, very long time.
So, yes, we need this, there is an unmet need throughout this commonwealth, but certainly when it comes to regional equity something that we know something about in Western Massachusetts and for two facilities that everybody praises and the need to preserve that, it's about preserving these beds that we have and then expanding, dealing with the other unmet needs that are out there. Thank you.
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