The most recent inspection of a Maryland veterans home found the private operator failed to report abuse allegations after staff “forcibly” sat a resident in a chair and left them there for hours and also failed to implement its own procedures for reporting abuse, causing the home to fall out of compliance with state and federal requirements.

The state Office of Health Care Quality initiated the February survey in response to complaints filed on the treatment of Charlotte Hall Veterans Home residents, according to Carter Elliott IV, a spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore.

While inspections dating back to 2018 found abuse and neglect at the home and top officials in Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration acknowledged the worsening conditions were “well documented,” this review marks the first where the contractor running the home had failed to report abuse allegations to state officials as required by federal regulations.

Also among the findings: Private operator HMR of Maryland LLC failed to implement policies and procedures for reporting abuse claims, also a federal requirement. In addition, inspectors found staff neglected patients, ignored individualized care plans and failed to maintain a “rodent free environment.”

The story continues at The Baltimore Banner: Veterans home operator failed to report abuse to state officials

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