Democratic Senators Statement on Menlo Park Veterans Home

Trenton – Senators Joe Vitale, Joe Cryan, Vin Gopal, Joe Lagana and Patrick Diegnan, who have been working together to develop reforms to correct the problems at the state-run veterans homes, issued the following joint statement in response to the announcement that a “Mission Critical Team” will be deployed to the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home at Menlo Park:

“We welcome the deployment of a special ‘Mission Critical Team’ to the Menlo Park Veterans Home to help correct the problems that have compromised the health and safety of veterans. It underscores the need for institutional reforms to improve the quality of care at Menlo Park and the other state-run homes for veterans.

“We look forward to the findings of the team and the health inspectors in order to fully understand the hard lessons that need to be learned from the reoccurring problems that have occurred at Menlo Park and elsewhere. The conditions need to be corrected.

“We need to work to develop a thoughtful and thorough plan that ensures the best possible care and treatment of the residents, their families and caregivers. We believe that wholesale, permanent changes are needed so that our veterans receive the best possible care, regardless of the costs.

“We must live up to the promise that was made to the men and women who served our country with selfless honor. They have earned our gratitude and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.”