The troubles at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans seem to keep growing. Yesterday, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced he is charging eleven former caregivers at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans with falsifying medical records.

Our news partner, WZZM TV13 reported Schuette is charging all of them with "an intentional or willful violation of MCL 750.492a by a healthcare provider. It is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 4 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both."

It was learned this current investigation was prompted by a Michigan Office of the Auditor General report, released in February 2016, showing some embarrassing problems at that facility. The report indicated the veterans living at the facility were suffering because of a lack of staffing.

The report also indicated executives at the Home for Veterans didn't properly investigate allegations of abuse and neglect. The audit also spotlighted the issue of caregivers not checking on members when they were supposed to be watching them.

Last year, the auditor general's investigation confirmed via surveillance video that 43-percent of the member locations checks and 33-percent of the fall alarm checks in their samples did not occur at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, potentially putting members at risk. The report indicated the Home for Veterans provided documentation as if the checks occurred 100-percent and 96-percent of the time. It was noted in the auditor general's investigation that on 17 out of 25 check sheets sampled by investigators, supervisors certified checks that did not happen.

Since that time, the auditor general is reporting that the Home for Veterans submitted a proper corrective action plan to ensure employees actually do the work to check on people. Leaders at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans indicated no members were harmed as a result of a lack of member checking and random review of surveillance video is now being done to make sure veterans get the proper attention.

 

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