The U.S. Department of Justice and the State of New Jersey have filed a consent decree in the United States District Court, District of New Jersey. This agreement includes appointing a third-party federal monitor for the Veterans Memorial Homes at Menlo Park and Paramus, which are operated by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
Governor Phil Murphy expressed support for this oversight, stating, "We welcome this additional input and oversight. We’re committed to making sure our veterans have the best possible care and quality of life at all three of our Veterans Homes." He emphasized resolving past issues with the Department of Justice to focus on providing top-quality care to residents.
Col. Yvonne Mays, Acting Commissioner of Military and Veterans Affairs, remarked on the constructive discussions that led to this agreement. "This agreement between the State of New Jersey and the U.S. Department of Justice is the result of months of constructive conversations on how best to care for the Veterans, Veteran Spouses, and Gold Star Families who call our facilities home," she said.
Recent inspections revealed positive results for these facilities. The Menlo Park and Paramus homes had zero deficiencies in two no-notice focused infection control surveys conducted by the New Jersey Department of Health in September 2024. Additionally, Vineland's facility also achieved zero deficiencies in a similar survey conducted in June 2024.
The surveys assessed procedures related to infection control regulations such as staff handwashing practices, use of personal protective equipment, kitchen operations, contact tracing protocols, cohorting strategies, isolation measures, and quarantine protocols.
Further comprehensive surveys at Menlo Park from July 8-19 evaluated aspects including infection control practices, clinical care standards, emergency management plans, human resources policies, kitchen operations management as well as housekeeping efficiency without identifying any clinical deficiencies.
These developments follow reforms initiated by Governor Murphy in 2021 aimed at improving systemic operations within these homes. Changes include onboarding full-time resident advocates; implementing new electronic medical records systems; establishing a learning management system offering extensive training hours; raising wages for healthcare workers; thereby attracting qualified individuals to provide resident care.
The Veterans Memorial Homes at Menlo Park along with those located at Paramus and Vineland remain open for eligible applicants interested in admissions or more information can visit their website: https://www.nj.gov/military/veterans/memorial-homes/
