Meredith Newman Commits Journalism
ProPublica-caliber journalism right here in the News-Journal. We’re talking malign neglect–in assisted living facilities–and in the disgraceful response by the budget-smoothing lackeys of the Carney Administration. Read the piece, if you can (the work of the 3 or 4 legit reporters on staff is why I subscribe).
Newman first frames the story through the eyes of one of the victims’ family. Then:
Unlike nursing homes, assisted living facilities have no federal oversight. It’s up to the state to regulate, which can result in a patchwork of accountability.
Delaware’s Division of Health Care Quality, which is supposed to be a state watchdog for these facilities, has struggled for about a decade to investigate complaints – particularly for assisted living facilities. A Delaware Online/News Journal investigation found:
- The division has about 1,500 complaints for nursing homes and assisted living facilities in its backlog. Data analyzed by The News Journal shows that since 2013 assisted living complaints are overall often investigated less than nursing homes.
- The state has chronically struggled with hiring and retaining staff to investigate these facilities, in part because of low salaries. The division has asked for additional funding in recent years but has been denied by the governor’s office.
- Dover Place, at various points, did not inform Claudia’s family or her physician about the severity of her wounds, as well as declined to send her to the emergency room that November when the infection worsened. Before the state investigated Claudia’s complaint, Dover Place had already been cited for neglect twice in 2021.
One reason why assisted living facilities have no federal oversight is because assisted living facilities were never supposed to have residents requiring a higher standard of care living in them. But the nursing home industry, faced with tougher regulations at both the federal and state levels, has turned many assisted living facilities into de facto nursing homes, unencumbered by the staffing requirements they should have.
Our pathetic governor not only placed the fox in control of this henhouse by inexplicably putting nursing home industry lobbyist Yrene Waldron (since ‘retired’) in charge of enforcement, a sick joke that resulted in avoidable deaths in nursing facilities during the pandemic. He has also routinely refused requests to pony up a few more dollars to provide adequate staffing. Why? Budget-smoothing:
The Division of Health Care Quality, one of the smallest divisions in the state’s health department, is responsible for regulating healthcare facilities, particularly the nearly 80 nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
But the division does not have enough surveyors to inspect them.
“The number of facilities keeps growing, but unfortunately our staffing numbers aren’t growing with that,” Corinna Getchell, division director, told a legislative task force in late March 2023.
Since fiscal year 2020, the division has requested a total of $1.67 million in additional funding, particularly for the completion of annual and complaint surveys. But it has only been allocated $153,600 in Gov. John Carney’s recommended budget. This occurred in fiscal year 2021.
For the upcoming fiscal year, the division asked for $851,700, which would specifically go toward hiring contractors to conduct complaint and survey inspections. It was the division’s only request and was denied by the governor’s office, according to recommended budget documents.
When lawmakers asked about this during the health department’s budget hearing, Office of Management and Budget Director Cerron Cade said the administration has added this to its “wish list” in the event new revenue comes in this spring.
“If we had unlimited resources and the ability to just grow their operating budget all at once this year,” he said, “we would have taken advantage of it.
Bullshit. They have the resources, which are far less than unlimited.
Although this is not the focus of Newman’s story, this illustrates the unbridled stupidity of Carney’s budget-smoothing policy–one which every state agency under the Governor’s control must adhere to. I’ll ask again: Why does budget-smoothing apply to everything except (a) budget-busting tax cuts; and (b) tens of million of dollars in giveaways to corporate beneficiaries? Do long-term care residents deserve no less from the state than billion-dollar corporations? My opinion is the diametric opposite of that of the Worst Governor In Delaware History.
I’ve only scratched the surface of what is an award-worthy story. I am so glad that Newman wrote the story through the eyes of both a victim and a victim’s family. She provides the humanity that is completely lacking in anything this Governor has ever sought to accomplish. Gotta say: Worth a subscription.
Are we really surprised by this coming from the administration that knew for a year about the lead in public school water, but decided to defer to the school districts, without any resources, for remediation? And when the story broke, they continued to do nothing…
I can’t even begin to fathom what goes on in John Carney’s head. His fascination before Tom Carper foisted him on Ruth Ann Minner was numbers, and I think that’s his sole interest.
He is either unwilling or unable to have any empathy for the people government is supposed to serve and, for that matter, for those in government who DO serve.
He had to have come out of the same factory as Robo-Carper.
Due diligence–let’s make sure that he and Carper don’t collaborate one last time with Carney somehow succeeding a retiring Carper at the filing deadline. Only way to do that is to make sure that we have a progressive challenger.
Carney is a meat head. I just assume the Eagles fight song is running through his head at all times.
I may use this this comment.
Please do.
“…let’s make sure that he and Carper don’t collaborate one last time with Carney somehow succeeding a retiring Carper at the filing deadline. Only way to do that is to make sure that we have a progressive challenger.”
HOLY SHIT! Thanks for the nightmares. I never thought of the possibility that Carney could make it to the US Senate with Carper’s help. What a fucking disaster.
Scary, but the Rethugs could nominate an indicted ham sandwich and make a stronger impression than Carney.
I live to serve…up nightmares.
We must rid the state of the current director of finance and his crew of GOP henchmen.
Good question for “any” candidate for Governor. Will you replace the current Secretary of Finance (Geisenberger) and Director of OMB (Cade) and Secretary of Human Resources (DeMatteis) if elected? Anything less than an unequivocal yes disqualifies the candidate.
Former Representative John Kowalko
With all due respect, John, probably not a necessary question since most cabinet secretaries move on with a change of administration and, in many cases, in the lame-duck months before the election.
Geisenberger could easily wind up on the payroll at CSC or the Prosperity Partnership and there’s got to be a law firm somewhere in the state that will hire DeMatteis because she has connections to just about anyone with any influence. I’d bet on Tony Allen finding a sinecure for Cade at DSU.
Still a very good question. Get them on the record.
And I would be remiss not to mention Secretary of State Jeff Bullock, another “potted plant” of this and prior administrations. He has fought me tooth and nail with “Leisenberger” enabling corporate welfare giveaways and preserving corporate anonymity at all times re LLC’s and corporate registration. Leisenberger is also the prime architect of the “Grover Norquist” balanced budget “Budget Smoothing” bullshit that the Chamber, Business Roundtable and other trough-feeders are slurping at. God bless the Delaware Way and the Good Old Boys network. “Money talks” and lottsa’ money talks louder.
They all originated in the prior Markell administration and Geisenberger has been plugged in since Minner. They have the survival instincts of NYC rats. I actually see Carney drawing a fat paycheck from Highmark Insurance or Christiana Care after he leaves his stain on Delaware’s government.
John Kowalko
Be honest, Carper retiring has you singing an assortment of hosannahs, only to awake to the potential of a Carney for Carper swap. Agree such is the stuff of nightmares and nausea.(and the odd projectile vomit or two). As noted where is our progressive candidate? Damned if I know, but the sooner we start looking the better as I’m expecting Carney will not go quietly, nor competently.
We’re looking. Pretty soon, I’m gonna write something calling out someone who SHOULD, perhaps MUST, run.
Good! Looking forward to it as I haven’t got a clue.