Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Frustrated at LaSalle Veterans’ Home Answers
The LaSalle Veterans’ Home has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after 33 residents of the facility died in a COVID-19 outbreak.
Some lawmakers expressed frustration over what they called “dodging” answers and a lack of accountability during a hearing Wednesday on the COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home. The outbreak has killed 33 residents since November 1.
The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee took testimony from Illinois Depatrment of Veterans’ Affairs Director Linda Chapa LaVia and IDVA Chief of Staff Tony Kolbeck, along with Dr. Avery Hart, a physician contractor for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Both Republicans and Democrats at times were frustrated with the answers they received during the hearing.
“Somebody give me an answer, please,” quipped Rep. Terra Costa-Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) at one point during the hearing.
Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) and Chapa LaVia had a testy exchange at one point during the hearing over who would take responsibility for the deaths at the home.
“When is someone going to own this? We all feel bad, we all are devastated at the loss of these 33 individuals. But I keep hearing dodges, I keep hearing explanations, I don’t hear ownership,” Keicher said. “We need to own this problem. If we’re gonna restore the faith of the veterans and the families in the state of Illinois in the institutions we provide to look at them in their end of days. When is somebody going to stand up and own that we made a mistake? Own what those mistakes were and right the ship going forward?”
Chapa LaVia responded the buck stops with her.
“Ultimately, I’m responsible for our veterans’ homes and our veterans’ well-being. It’s my job to make sure we’re doing everything we can to keep our heroes safe.”
We learned Wednesday a complaint has been filed with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and that two complaints had been filed with the Inspector General, one anonymous and one named complaint, all stemming from instances when employees continued to work after testing positive for COVID-19.
Though, Kolbeck said no employee was ever required or pressured to work after testing positive.
“No staff member was required to work after they tested positive,” he said. “There were some instances where some employees ended up working, but none were required to.”
Some Republicans, like Rep. Randy Frese (R-Paloma) were angered by what they call “failures” of the Pritzker administration to keep the outbreak in check.
“To sit here and listen to members of Governor Pritzker’s administration try to tell us that everything that could have been done was done and try to give us explanations along the lines of ‘these things can happen’ is unconscionable,” he said. “Our veterans and their families deserve better than the protections they received. This was a grave and serious failure.”
A spokesperson for Governor JB Pritzker has not replied to our request to respond to the comments.
IDPH declined to send staff citing the internal investigation. Hart, the contractor, wasn’t brought on board until November 16, well after the outbreak at the home started.
That drew the ire of Rep. David Welter (R-Morris).
“It seems that IDPH has a problem showing up when needed. It’s a clear indication they’re covering up their inaction by refusing to participate in any legislative hearings. It’s shameful the Governor is allowing this to happen.”
Some outstanding questions were answered during Wednesday’s hearing.
IDVA Chief of Staff Tony Kolbeck says inadequate hand sanitizer had been purchased by the home administration.
Kolbeck said it was a “longstanding purchase that goes back a few years that they’ve been using that. It was the responsibility of those at the facility to ensure that they were following the guidelines for what product to use.”
Kolbeck says he requested the inspection of the facility from state and federal regulators that was conducted on November 12, after the outbreak had already spread throughout the home.
It still isn’t clear why inspectors weren’t brought in sooner.
It also remains unclear when Governor Pritzker was brought into the loop.
Chapa LaVia said she spoke with the Governor “briefly” about the outbreak at an event they both attended November 11. Though Pritzker said during a news conference two weeks later he hadn’t yet spoken to Chapa LaVia. She testified the Governor did call her eventually but did not know the exact date.
The committee was also told that Chapa LaVia signed the letter dismissing home administrator Angela Mehlbrech, but it was not made clear if she made the ultimate decision to fire Mehlbrech.
State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris), who represents the home, was allowed to sit in on the hearing. She expressed frustration at many remaining questions.
“We still don't know why it took 12 days for an on-site inspection to be conducted by the Illinois Department of Public Health,” she said. “This deadly delay meant that almost two full weeks went by where ineffective infection control protocols continued uncorrected. We have to determine how this happened and ensure that it does not happen again.”
Committee Chair Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) said she’s prepared to move legislative changes to help correct any failings at the home.
“We have to get to the bottom of this,” Kifowit said.
“The families of the deceased residents are owed answers,” said Rep. Frese.
Chapa LaVia also said she’s relying on an investigation from the Department of Human Services Inspector General on what went wrong.
“This is not acceptable,” she said.
Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa), who represents the home, directed IDVA officials to come up with a working theory for the cause of the outbreak.
“Bring back a theory of what happened and support it,” he said. “Ask for help, ask for forgiveness, just figure out why. Were we lax? Did our procedures break down? Bring a theory as to what went wrong and bring some support for it. I just want to know why it came in and why it went so fast.”