State regulators tasked with overseeing elder care facilities now carry out annual inspections, have closed all unfinished reports, and made other improvements in the past year, according to the state auditor鈥檚 office.
A by the auditor鈥檚 office found that the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living wasn鈥檛 conducting enough inspections of residential care homes and assisted living facilities, and that regulators weren鈥檛 following up on serious deficiencies in a timely manner.
Now, the department has taken substantial steps to address the issues outlined in the audit, said State Auditor Doug Hoffer in an interview on Friday.
鈥淚'm pleased 鈥� that's why we put out the press release,鈥� Hoffer said. 鈥淐ome on, how often do we have happy audit talk?鈥�
The Legislature recently approved funding for five new positions at DAIL to create a state licensed regulatory unit. In a written statement, Carol Scott, the state long term care manager with DAIL, said the additional staff helped the department 鈥渆ffectively support and carry out鈥� its regulatory mission.
According to the auditor鈥檚 office, DAIL now inspects all elder care facilities under its jurisdiction annually, inspects new facilities before residents move in, and has closed all unfinished inspection reports and statements of deficiencies.
But the auditor鈥檚 office also says that DAIL has yet to implement one key recommendation: posting enforcement actions on their website.
鈥淭hese guys are responsible for ensuring the safety of vulnerable older Vermonters,鈥� Hoffer said. 鈥淎nd if they don't make relevant information available, then what are they accomplishing?鈥�
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Scott, with DAIL, said in a statement the department is planning to develop a process to post reports of enforcement actions taken against assisted living facilities and residential care homes.
鈥淭he decision and process of posting to the Divisions website, most definitely will require legal counsel on structure,鈥� Scott said in her statement. 鈥淲e are hoping to have a solid answer and pathway regarding the audits recommendation to post enforcement actions by the end of 2025.鈥�
The 2023 audit found similar issues to those that were documented in a 2019 investigation by 开云体育 and Seven Days. The news outlets found patterns of inadequate staffing and care that led to dangerous conditions for residents of elder care homes, as well as a system of oversight with light regulation and limited enforcement.
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