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Texas Agencies Promise Reform After Alleged Abuse at Veterans Nursing Homes

Three state agencies have pledged to improve responses to abuse allegations at nursing homes, after legislators raised pointed questions about safety and management at two state-owned facilities for veterans. That is the story published recently in the Dallas Morning News. Here are excerpts:

One of the main changes is for the state agency in charge of regulating nursing homes to offer annual training to law enforcement officers on how to investigate allegations of harm to the elderly.

The Dallas Morning News found that a criminal investigation into allegations of abuse by two former workers at a state veterans home in Big Spring lingered for more than two years, partly because of conflicts among police, state inspectors, and home administrators.

Although police first looked into the allegations in late 2007 at the Lamun-Lusk-Sanchez State Veterans Home, officers yielded to state inspectors. The Howard County district attorney told The News that the state aging agency and police should have been working together.

Felony charges were filed in March against the former employees, accused of harming two residents in separate incidents in 2007. Bryson Vanderbilt, 25, pleaded not guilty in Howard County District Court last week. Connie Mae Johnson, 52, is expected to be arraigned soon.

Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson told the Senate Veterans Committee that steps can be taken to ensure that local officers work with nursing home operators on investigations. A division of the General Land Office hires private companies to run seven nursing homes for veterans and their spouses.

And Health and Human Services Commission officials said they have made changes in how they review appeals from nursing home operators that contest violations documented by state regulators.

Bob Kraft

I am a Dallas, Texas lawyer who has had the privilege of helping thousands of clients since 1971 in the areas of Personal Injury law and Social Security Disability.

About This Blog

The title of this blog reflects my attitude toward those government agencies and insurance companies that routinely mistreat injured or disabled people. As a Dallas, Texas lawyer, I've spent more than 45 years trying to help those poor folk, and I have been frustrated daily by the actions of the people on the other side of their claims. (Sorry if I offended you...)

If you find this type of information interesting or helpful, please visit my law firm's main website at KraftLaw.com. You will find many more articles and links. Thank you for your time.

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