Prairie State Wire

A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs report, in conjunction with at least two other state agencies, concludes that Illinois’ four state-run veterans homes remain short on uniform infection prevention policies despite repeated calls for such procedures to be implemented.

In addition to stressing the need for additional staffing and training, the Interagency Infection Prevention Project (IIPP) report highlights the need for the facilities to establish an infection control position to at least partly oversee operations.

The Health and Safety audit found that “Policies are not standardized between homes ... A number of reviewed policies appear incomplete; for example, they are possibly outdated (up to five years old) and do not indicate which current regulations or standards of practice they are designed to address,” the report outlines. “Various infection control policies exist, but it is not clear how they are integrated into an Infection Control Management Program or if they are standalone policies,” the report adds.

IIPP officials said their focus centers on building a detailed and comprehensive response to COVID-19 at the state’s four veterans home facilities.

Earlier this month, Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) officials reported the 24th COVID- related death at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy. IDVA officials said since the start of the pandemic a little more than a year ago, the Quincy veterans facility has now experienced 134 resident cases of COVID and 168 employee cases.

Several family members from the veterans' facility in LaSalle have already sued the state over the deaths of family members.

On the same day the report was released, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced his administration has installed 31-year U.S. Navy veteran Terry Prince  to the position of Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs director, replacing former director Linda Chapa LaVia, who resigned earlier this year.