Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois State Sen. Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) called for reform during a recent Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing to discuss a report about the COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home late last year.

The veterans’ home is run by the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs. In November, the home experienced an outbreak where 36 veterans died after contracting the virus and more than 100 residents, and approximately 100 staff members also contracted the coronavirus, reported ABC 7 News.

“My colleagues and I were all horrified to hear about the devastating loss of life at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home this past fall and winter,” Cullerton, chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, said. “I’ve read the full OIG report, and it is clear to me that there was a breakdown of communication between staff and management at the facility.”

The report cited failures to effectively communicate and insufficient employee training as key factors leading to the deadly outbreak. The report also said that IDVA leadership failed to actively communicate and that employees were unclear about their responsibilities before and during the outbreaks.

The previous IDVA director, Linda Chapa LaVia, and other members of IDVA leadership have since resigned following criticism. Navy veteran Terry Prince was appointed to the position to replace LaVia.

"We need to see real changes to the communication methods that failed these veterans," Sen. Tom Cullerton wrote in a May 17 Facebook post.