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Missourinet

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You are here: Home / Archives for Ashley Byrd

Congressman Cleaver says USDA Offices are staying put in KC, rumors were not true

February 4, 2021 By Ashley Byrd

Kansas City area Congressman Emanuel Cleaver says the Biden Administration will not move the newly-relocated USDA offices from Kansas City back to the nation’s capital.

Cleaver carries political clout with President Biden, who came to Kansas City at the congressman’s request during the campaign.

Missouri Farm Bureau leaders mentioned this as a concern immediately after the 2020 presidential election.

“I represent that area, I am the senior Democrat in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas. And I can tell you that there is no way that those agricultural offices will be moved against my political will. That’s just not going to happen,” Cleaver told Missourinet.’

“I heard the rumors over and over again and have not spoken about it publicly. I can tell you those offices are not going anywhere.

USDA’s Economic Research Service and National Institutes of Food & Agriculture moved to Kansas City last year. Though Cleaver supported the move, he predicted the USDA may lose some top employees — and they did —as 2/3 of the research and funding agencies’ staff in Washington DC quit.

Cleaver says any move back to Washington D.C. would be too expensive.

 

Filed Under: Agriculture, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Missouri Farm Bureau, President Joe Biden, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, USDA’s Economic Research Service and National Institutes of Food & Agriculture

Blunt says Capitol staging of inaugural important message to world; to Hawley critics, time to ‘move on’

January 9, 2021 By Ashley Byrd

Senator Roy Blunt says plans for Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration will not be derailed or changed after Wednesday’s deadly breach of Capitol security.

From left: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, President Donald Trump, Missouri U.S. Senator Roy Blunt

The senior Missouri Senator is overseeing the event on the behalf of Congress. He says he spent a lot of time Thursday with Capitol police and reviewing the FBI intelligence reports of the attack on the Capitol. The smaller inaugural crowd restricted to 3,000 because of COVID-19 concerns will be easier to handle than the typical 200,000 attendees, he said.

Blunt said “It’s the right decision” to hold the Biden inauguration at the same place that President Trump was sworn in four years ago.

“We will be outside and just as it was important to return to the Capitol as quickly as we could to the Senate and House Chambers, it is also important to send that message around the world that while we are dealing with a pandemic that our Democracy moves forward,” he told Missourinet.

Blunt, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said “the storming of the Capitol by these rioters was outrageous and very harmful to our position around the world. I’m sure our adversaries loved seeing those films and pictures all over the world. It was a big day for them and a poor day for us.”

Blunt stands by his statement that the president was part of creating the dangerous environment Wednesday.

President Trump has announced he will not go to Biden’s inauguration and, though Blunt said he had been talking with the president’s staff about Trump’s attendance, Blunt said he “does not have any argument with (Trump’s) decision on this.”

Vice-President Mike Pence is expected to be there and, as President-elect Biden did Thursday, Blunt said Pence’s presence will be welcome.

Blunt told Missourinet the public will see a different scene on January 20 than they did on January 6.

“We’ll have the kind of secure operation on the ground and in the air that we had four years ago and I think everybody will have a greater appreciation for how challenging it is to get this done this year than they may have ever had before,” Blunt said.

Blunt is chairman of the Senate Rules Committee and, every four years, the chairman of that panel leads the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

“I’d really like it if we were inaugurating the person that I voted for, but I’m going to respect the fact that the Constitution and the process work,” he said during a telephone interview Friday.

Missourinet asked: “Given what you’ve seen from President Trump now, would you vote for him again?”

Blunt replied: “I don’t have to make that decision, do I? I certainly voted for him in November. The foreign policy successes, the regulatory successes, the economic successes, what is obvious to me will be the incredible success in developing the vaccine…with the president’s leadership we got it done in nine months.”

“This is not a decision that needs to be made,” Blunt continued. “It’s kind of like spending time on Ted Cruz’s plan. It’s not anything I have to deal with and believe me I have plenty of problems to deal with that are real and immediate, rather than speculating on things that aren’t going to happen.”

Fellow Missouri Senator Josh Hawley’s objection to Electoral College results from Pennsylvania has prompted some Democrats in the Senate to call for Hawley to resign and a few Republicans have publicly rebuked Hawley, Blunt is not among them. Blunt told the Missourinet he and Hawley “have a great relationship.”

“He has a job to do just like I do and I’m sure he’ll do it. He’s very smart and I’m pleased to get the chance to work with him. We did not agree on this issue the day he announced this challenge, and Ted Cruz’s challenge,” Blunt said. “I think it’s time to move on and remember, half of the Republicans in the House of Representatives had a similar position.”

Blunt said any movement toward impeaching President Trump would also be as fruitless as Sen. Cruz’s plan to create a commission to review all of the state ballots.

“Frankly, I think he (Trump) has already paid a big price for keeping on the (election) topic and not allowing us to talk about many accomplishments he’s had as president,” Blunt said.

 

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Josh Hawley, Mike Pence, President Donald Trump, presidential inauguration, riot, Ted Cruz, U.S. Capitol, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt

Missouri Members of Congress respond to pro-Trump rioters invading Capitol

January 6, 2021 By Ashley Byrd

As a joint session of Congress began the process of approving the electoral college results of the 2020 presidential election, pro-Trump rioters pushed past U.S. Capitol Police and entered the House chambers and Senate offices. Vice-president Mike Pence and members of Congress evacuated to “safe quarters” inside the office buildings. Then they began tweeting their responses. Missourinet got the following messages and tweets from the delegation.

Sen. Roy Blunt was one of the first to denounce the mob’s actions: “The events unfolding at the Capitol are shameful. There is no justification for violence and destruction. It has to stop now. This is not who we are as a nation. Thank you to the Capitol Police who are keeping us safe.”

Senator Josh Hawley, who had been leading an electoral college protest effort inside the Senate Chamber, sent this statement after the police reinforcements had arrived: “Thank you to the brave law enforcement officials who have put their lives on the line. The violence must end, those who attacked police and broke the law must be prosecuted, and Congress must get back to work and finish its job.”

Veteran Democrat Rep. Emanual Cleaver of Kansas City spoke with TV partner KMBC. Mike Mahoney shared: KC Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, in KMBC interview, says protesters are “all over the Capitol complex” Cleaver is locked down in his House office, not inside the Capitol. Says this is making the US look like a 2-bit country in world’s eyes

Rep. Cori Bush, newly sworn-in Democrat from St. Louis tweeted: “I’m in the Capitol. I’m safe, and my team and I are sheltering in place. The President of the United States has incited a riot that has now stormed the Capitol. There are rioters roaming the halls of the Capitol. I saw them with my own eyes. Our country deserves better.
She later announced: “I believe the Republican members of Congress who have incited this domestic terror attack through their attempts to overturn the election must face consequences. They have broken their sacred Oath of Office. I will be introducing a resolution calling for their expulsion.”

Rep. Ann Wagner, R-MO2, tweeted: “The violent riots we are seeing right now are despicable and have no place in our nation. The President needs to take decisive action immediately to stop this seditious behavior.”

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer tweeted: “Peaceful protesting is acceptable. Violence, lawlessness and attacks on law enforcement are absolutely not.”

Rep. Sam Graves of northwest Missouri: “Peaceful protests are protected by the Constitution, but this is not how we settle disputes in America. The violence and lawlessness happening at the United States Capitol right now is completely unacceptable and un-American. This is not what democracy looks like.”

Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-MO4, tweeted: “The violent rioting on Capitol Hill is appalling and must stop! These so-called protesters have exhibited behavior one would expect to witness during a third world coup. This disgusting behavior is not representative of what we stand for as a country. This is thuggery and violators must be punished to the fullest extent allowed under federal law. We cannot heal our divides as a nation if this lawlessness persists.”

Rep. Jason Smith, R- MO8, tweeted: “I condemn this violence and give my complete support to the brave Capitol Police officers working to restore order. Pray for America. It was Oscar Wilde who said ‘When Liberty comes with hands dabbled in blood, it is hard to shake hands with her. The current acts of violence can never be accepted under any circumstances no matter your political affiliation.”

Rep. Billy Long, R-MO7, issued this press release: “What happened at the Capitol Building is disgraceful and completely unacceptable and I condemn the actions of those involved,” said Rep. Long. “I commend the brave men and women of the United States Capitol Police, the Washington Metropolitan Police and the officers of the various federal agencies that assisted in restoring order in the Capitol and keeping Members of Congress and their staff safe. I was at the Capitol only briefly this morning, long before any of this started, and did not witness anything unfold in person. My staff and I are safe, and I am urging people to leave the Capitol complex calmly and peacefully and to comply with the Mayor’s 6:00 pm curfew.”

Luetkemeyer, Graves, Hartzler, and Long have all planned to protest the election of Joe Biden today, saying they believe there was voting fraud in key states that Biden won.

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Josh Hawley, Missouri delegation, pro-Trump, rioter, U.S. Capitol

Missouri Veterans Commission chairman resigns, taking issue with Gov. Parson statement

January 1, 2021 By Ashley Byrd

Missouri Veterans Commission chairman Tim Noonan resigned his volunteer post late Thursday, saying “Fundamental values were crossed,” by Governor Mike Parson when he stated “I’m not going to worry about everybody’s personal lives that sit on a commission or chairman,” in response to a question about an investigation into a deadly COVID-19 outbreak at Missouri’s Veterans homes. To date, the commission reports that 158 veterans in their facilities have died of coronavirus since September.

During a Capitol press conference Wednesday, Missourinet asked Parson to elaborate on what changes he wants after an independent report listed causes of COVID-19 spread inside the state’s seven long-term care facilities that serve veterans.

Parson called for an independent investigation into COVID-19 deaths in state veterans homes (file photo courtesy governor’s office)

“I’ve got to be careful with that,” he said. “I’m going to do everything within my power to make sure they (veterans) are taken care of. If people didn’t do their job is why I called for the investigation to expose that, if that is the case. The veterans will be a priority. I’m not going to worry about everybody’s personal lives that sit on a commission or a chairman. I’m just going to absolutely worry about the veterans and that is my whole focus.”

Noonan told Missourinet that his resignation had nothing to do with the release of the full investigation report that same day, though he disagreed with publishing the 415-pages of details of the Armstrong Teasdale review.  Read related story.

Noonan assumed the role of the only spokesman and advocate for MVC staff after the report’s summary was published, shielding veterans home employees and the agency’s director from the press and public comment. However, Noonan said the role of the commission overseeing the agency is often unclear.

Noonan has recently spoken out about having little or no say in money being appropriated from his agency to the Veterans Community Project, a non-profit serving homeless veterans, especially when revenue and staffing are down.

“The commission is independent and shouldn’t be batted around for political gain,” he texted after his resignation. “Hopeful someone will pick up the flag.”

Noonan served in the Marine Corps and is a former executive with Boeing. He was appointed to the post by Gov. Eric Greitens in 2017.

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Military, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Gov. Mike Parson, Missouri Veterans Commission Chairman Tim Noonan

Missouri Veteran’s Commission releases detailed report on deadly COVID-19 outbreak in 7 veterans homes

December 31, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

The oversight commission of the Missouri Veterans Commission released the remaining details of an investigation into a deadly COVID-19 outbreak in its seven nursing homes today. To date, 158 veterans have died since September.

FULL REPORT

The Missouri Attorney General directed Chairman Tim Noonan to release the report, against Noonan’s objections.  Noonan’s Letter to the attorney general argues that the detailed report was protected under attorney-client privilege.

State Senator Jill Schupp argued in public that the 415-page document should be released under the Sunshine Law. Noonan and other commissioners were concerned about the legal liability of staff, commissioners, and the agency itself.

“Are we creating a record that puts employees at risk, are we creating a potential roadmap for litigation against the state? These are all prudent business decisions that one makes when they have responsibility as the chair of a commission,” Noonan said in an interview with Missourinet just before the release of the report. Letters released by the Attorney General’s office to Missourinet show Noonan sought legal advice from the governor’s office as early as November 23.

He got a response from the attorney general yesterday: Attorney General’s opinion letter addressed the disclosure of information.

Noonan said the full report reveals there is “a lot of accountability and responsibility up and down the chain of command here,” including daily governance.

“The summary report was thorough, it was robust, it was fact-based and it was actionable. There was nothing inside the detailed report that stands in the way of driving the reforms and transformation that are already underway.

“There is no smoking gun in the report. It was systemic, it had issues to do with communication and hierarchy, it had to do with data analysis that was happening in the Missouri Veterans Commission but also happening in the “fusion cell” — data that was presented by the Veterans Commission to the fusion cell that was supposed to be analyzed and made into actionable intelligence, the fusion cell missed it along with the Veterans Commission.”

The “Fusion Cell,” according to the summary report, is the state’s collective response to the COVID-19 and “is meant to be a single point of information for all Missouri agencies.”  It also included the consultation of the McChrystal Group, outside advisors hired by the Missouri Foundation for Health.

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Military, News Tagged With: Attorney General Eric Schmitt, fusion cell, Missouri Veterans Commission Chairman Tim Noonan, MVC, Tim Noonan

Veterans Commission says homes need transformation: “We have to assume we’ll be hit like this again

December 16, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

The chairman of the Missouri Veterans Commission has met and held town halls with the staff of its seven homes and headquarters in the aftermath of a report critical of leadership’s lack of planning and policy. According to the commission website, Chairman Tim Noonan reviewed the root cause and corrective actions from the report and received candid and constructive feedback.   Noonan also said they discussed plans on how to move forward as an organization to provide the best care for veterans.

MVC Chairman Tim Noonan addressed commissioners and investigators via video conference

The volunteer members of the Missouri Veterans Commission last week heard in person (virtually) the details of a 53-page investigation into the handling of a COVID-19 outbreak in its long-term care facilities. The report by national law firm Armstrong Teasdale was ordered by Governor Mike Parson in October after a September spike in virus-related deaths at some of its veterans homes. At least 145 veterans have died in the homes since September.

In the December 11 video conference, Armstrong Teasdale’s principal investigators presented their recommendations, as outlined in their report.

“The key to those recommendations is that MVC focus on planning,” summarized attorney Ida Shafaie. “And make sure the staff is trained to a standard and they understand what needs to be done. We see this as very important, not just as MVC approaches COVID and how they handle the rest of this pandemic, but it’s important because none of us knows what the next pandemic going to look like and we don’t know what COVID’s going to look like in the future, so it’s important that MVC use the time and knowledge they have now to develop these protocols so that the next time an infectious disease, unfortunately, rears its ugly head MVC and their staff are prepared on what they need to do.”

Noonan was the only commissioner to speak at the video conference. Executive Director Col. Paul Kirchhoff did not speak.

Noonan said the report “is tough but it’s fair.”

“We’ve already started implementing a number of these recommendations,” he said. “We’ve started our COVID reset.”

United States Senator Josh Hawley, who serves on the Armed Services Committee, has called for changes at the commission since the report’s release.

Noonan responded, “Yes, we need change but more importantly we need transformation. We need to realize we need to take care of our front line in a new and different way.”

Noonan says every long-term care facility is facing a shortage of CNA’s and the commission must be competitive in pay. “We’ve got to think and be innovative about how we run our homes and realize that the competition is all around us for talent and for serving our veterans,” he said.

The commission gets revenue from various unrelated programs around the state, including riverboat casinos and the new state medical marijuana program. Noonan said, “”We also have to ensure that the monies that are due to the Veterans Commission, old sources and new sources, are put to their highest and best use.”

I’m hopeful that this wasn’t a dress rehearsal but we have to view it as one, because we have to assume we’re going to be hit like this again.” Noonan concluded.

 

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Military, News Tagged With: Armstrong Teasdale, COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes, Missouri Veterans Commission Chairman Tim Noonan, MVC, Sen. Josh Hawley

Missouri launches state — and nation’s — first HBCU-based police academy

December 15, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

Lincoln is offering more job opportunities as police agencies around the country are trying to hire a more diverse force.

The state and nation’s first police academy at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) was approved at Lincoln University in Jefferson City. Governor Mike Parson and DPS Director Sandy Karsten signed off on the program’s one-year probationary period at a special ceremony Tuesday.

Karsten, who has final approval of the academy at Lincoln, said. “Attracting minority recruits to law enforcement is one of the key issues faced by agencies across the nation.”

Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler agreed. He testified at the Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission hearing to approve the school’s initial request in October.

“The issue between law enforcement and minorities is not going to be fixed with a law, you’re not going to fix it with anything at the Capitol. It has the be the men and women of law enforcement make the choice to do so,” Wheeler said. “The best way to change anything is from within, so the more diverse we can get, the better off we are.”

Lincoln Criminal Justice Professor Joe Steenbergen said students are willing to enter law enforcement and there are jobs waiting for them.

“Recruiters come and talk to the kids, from Des Moines, Houston (TX), and Topeka and we do internships with these guys,” Steenburgin told Missourinet. “Every department needs these so if we can give them candidates, these kids can go anywhere in the country and work. The salaries are great. I’m shocked at how much law enforcement will pay these days.”

But he adds, “It’s not a quick fix. It’s so hard to recruit minority students nowadays, minority people who want to be in law enforcement. There’s a million reasons why, but if we can recruit one student out of every high school…we’ll get you through this academy and it’s up to you how you change this environment.”

According to DPS, the initial training license is always probationary and for one year. During the first year, the POST Program will audit the training center to make sure that standards are being met. If DPS Director Karsten approves the audit, the license becomes a standard 3-year license.

The POST Commission also voted Tuesday to require that Missouri law enforcement academies begin educating all law enforcement recruits in the history of policing in minority communities in the U.S. The two-hour block of instruction would cover policing from the founding of the nation through the present. The measure was unanimously approved.

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, Education, News Tagged With: HBCU, Lincoln University, Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, POST Commission

Missouri health department Q & A for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

December 14, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

The state health department has officially signed off on dispensing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine statewide. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services issued its standing order today.

The vaccine is being dispensed this week to health care professionals who work with COVID-19 patients or those who are the most vulnerable to get it. Long term care patients will also get the injections in this first round. Pfizer is shipping Missouri full doses for 51,675 people, a minimum of 975 per each of the 21-plus sites in Missouri. Missourinet cannot confirm the total number of sites because the federal and state government will not release the facility locations for security purposes. Pfizer will shop another batch of about 63,000 treatments to Missouri within two weeks.

Missouri DHSS says the most reported side effects were mild and include pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever. Of note, more people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose.

The agency released the following Q and A about the inoculation process, based on the current federal guidance.

  • What do I do if I miss the second dose 21 days after the first dose?
    • Patients who do not receive the second vaccination dose at 21 days should still receive that second dose as soon as possible thereafter.
  • Should you get the vaccine if you have already contracted COVID-19?
    • Yes, but for both symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, you should defer vaccination until you have met criteria to discontinue isolation.
  • Can you receive the vaccine if you are pregnant?
    • Yes, pregnant females are recommended for the vaccine depending on the individual’s risk of acquisition due to the level of community transmission, personal risk of contracting COVID-19 due to occupation or other activities, risks of COVID-19 to the mother and potential risks to the fetus, efficacy of the vaccine, known side effects of the vaccine and the lack of data about the vaccine during pregnancy. Special counseling and a 15-minute observation period after vaccination, if chosen, is recommended.
  • Should you have a pregnancy test or antibody test prior to receiving the vaccine?
    • Routine testing for pregnancy or antibody tests is not recommended in relation to vaccine use.
  • Can you get this vaccine if you are in quarantine due to an exposure with a positive COVID-19 case?
    • You should delay your vaccination if you have had a known SARS-CoV-2 (virus that causes COVID-19) exposure until your quarantine period has ended, unless residing in a congregate setting (health care/long-term care facility, correctional facility, homeless shelter, etc.).
  • Can you get the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time?
    • There is no information on co-administration of this COVID-19 vaccine with other vaccines. The Pfizer vaccine should be spaced at least 14 days from any other vaccine.
  • If you have been vaccinated, can you stop from using other precautions?
    • No. While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following CDC’s recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19.
  • Who is not recommended for the Pfizer vaccine?
    • Those under age 16.
    • An individual who has experienced a serious reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) to a prior dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or to any of its components. For information on vaccine components, refer to the manufacturers’ package insert.

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, News Tagged With: COVID-19 vaccinations, long-term care facilities, Missouri DHSS, Pfizer-BioNTech, Q and A

Congressman Lacy Clay says goodbye to Congress, constituents

December 3, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

Missouri’s 1st District Congressman Lacy Clay said farewell to colleagues and constituents today, after serving two decades in Congress. He was defeated in the party primary by Cori Bush, a local civil rights activist in St. Louis.

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, U.S. Rep.-Elect Cori Bush

Missouri Veteran’s Homes COVID-19 deadly outbreak showed failures of leadership, planning and response, says scathing report

December 3, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

An independent study of the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at Missouri Veterans Homes finds that “the MVC Headquarters and Home staff genuinely care for the Veterans, three major lapses contributed to the COVID-19 outbreak in the Homes this fall: (1) failure to recognize and appreciate the problem at the first sign of an outbreak; (2) failure to plan for the outbreak; and (3) failure to properly respond to the outbreak. The investigation also exposed the unintended negative consequences of isolation due to the restrictive measures intended to protect Veterans.”

Governor Mike Parson called for an outside investigation after a sudden increase in cases and deaths at state-run veterans homes.

This summary of a scathing report from corporate law firm Armstrong Teasdale acknowledged that the Missouri Veteran’s Commission took proactive and effective steps in March to protecting its seven homes from the virus, community spread surged, and “Unfortunately, MVC Headquarters was lulled into a false sense of security and failed to capitalize on its early successes.”

READ FULL REPORT: COVID-19 OUTBREAK at the MISSOURI VETERANS HOMES – Summary of the Independent Investigation Conducted for the MVC _ Armstrong Teasdale LLP

The report finds three critical areas where the commission fell short:

(Direct excerpts from the full report)

A. Failure to Recognize the Outbreak

MVC Headquarters failed to recognize and appreciate the impact of even one positive case of COVID-19, despite a number of experts, like the Missouri State Epidemiologist and the Missouri Medicaid Director, defining a COVID-19 outbreak in a residential setting as a single positive case. This meant that MVC leadership did not change tactics to aggressively contain the first positive
cases, nor did they reach out to external partners for assistance. Instead, they treated the initial cases as something that could be overcome using the same directives, policies, and internal resources that had been employed prior to the positive case.

This lack of understanding was not due to a lack of information. Homes staff provided data to Headquarters via reports, calls, and meetings on an ongoing, nearly real-time basis. MVC
Headquarters simply lacked the ability to engage in meaningful analysis of this data. They should have recognized the presence of a COVID-19 outbreak in the Cape Girardeau Home by September 2, 2020 (when the Home reported a jump from one positive Veteran to three positive Veterans within a 72 hour period, and a jump from five positive staff members to seven positive staff members within a two week period), but even as cases increased, MVC Headquarters failed to appreciate the need to move quickly to isolate positive patients. This also impacted their
communication with external stakeholders, in that MVC Headquarters did not identify specific issues or concerns related to the outbreak. For example, in weekly briefings to DPS, the MVC
provided little data about the outbreak, other than its impact on staffing vacancies—missing a critical opportunity early on to engage outside agencies and resources.

B. Failure to Plan for an Extensive Outbreak

While the novelty of COVID-19 makes long-term strategic planning difficult, MVC Headquarters demonstrated an absence of leadership in failing to appropriately plan for a severe and
prolonged COVID-19 outbreak. Headquarters should have known by the beginning of summer 2020—well before the fall outbreak—that COVID-19 spreads covertly through asymptomatic
carriers and is difficult to control in a residential setting like a nursing home. But despite several months to prepare for a predicted fall surge in COVID-19 cases, MVC Headquarters did not
develop any comprehensive outbreak plan. As a result, they did not have an opportunity to vet the plan with outside agencies or other long-term care facilities, or test the plan to identify areas of
needed improvement. The lack of a comprehensive outbreak plan led to confusion and inefficiencies, and it almost certainly contributed to the inability to contain the spread of COVID-19
once it was introduced into the Homes.

As early as February 2020, MVC Headquarters could have relied on publicly-available guidelines, templates, and checklists published by the CDC. They also could have looked to open
source material regarding outbreaks that had already occurred in congregate care settings in other parts of the country, including in Missouri. The investigation revealed that around March and April, MVC Headquarters studied and learned from an outbreak in Kirkland, Washington, but they did not study any additional outbreaks, even as occurrences multiplied across the country. No one at MVC Headquarters took the initiative to gather this information and develop a comprehensive plan. MVC Headquarters did provide some guidance to the Homes in the form of directives, but these directives were reactionary, haphazard, and often conflicted with each other. The directives addressed only discrete aspects of care and COVID-19 management and in some instances were inconsistent with CDC and VA guidelines or infection control best practices. They were also issued frequently, with little insight as to how staff might learn of or implement them. Staff found it difficult to keep up with the constant updates and changes, and most did not have access to any compilation of the directives they were supposed to be following. The lack of policies and
frequently-changing directives made it difficult to educate, let alone train staff in how they should provide hands-on care and services in the Homes.

This lack of preparation was compounded by the fact that the MVC did not have a current, comprehensive manual for infection prevention policy and procedure generally. An infection prevention policy and procedure manual is required by VA and CDC guidelines. This manual would have included an outbreak management plan or emergency management plan for infections generally, and it would have provided the Homes baseline guidance regarding isolation, quarantine, and universal precautions. While the MVC developed a general pandemic plan in March, there was no evidence that this plan was updated, reviewed, used, or tailored for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The MVC should have prepared and printed a comprehensive COVID-19 plan and made multiple copies accessible to staff in each Home.

C. Failure to Respond to the Outbreak

Without an appreciation for the problem or a comprehensive plan in place, the MVC’s response to the outbreak was inadequate. In particular, the Homes had significant issues related to
testing, cross-contamination, and staffing. The timing of test results facilitated the spread of COVID-19. In August 2020, the Homes implemented routine nasopharyngeal PCR testing of all Veterans and staff twice a week. PCR tests take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to process. This is significant because approximately sixty percent of individuals who are COVID-19 positive are either pre-or asymptomatic at the time they are tested. This meant that while awaiting test results, infectious staff and Veterans interacted with one another, some without any personal protective equipment (“PPE”). Asymptomatic Veterans and some symptomatic Veterans were not quarantined pending the results and moved freely among the Homes, dined together, interacted with each other, and remained lodged with their roommates.

In addition to testing issues, improper quarantine and isolation procedures contributed to the spread and cross-contamination of COVID-19 within the Homes. Initially, most of the isolation
and quarantine spaces only had between one and four beds, and little consideration had been given to how expansion would occur if or when necessary. Neither MVC Headquarters nor the Homes’ administrative leadership were prepared for the rapid spread of the virus, and at least one isolation scarce quarantine and isolation beds, and sometimes led to the hectic co-mingling of COVID-19 positive Veterans with otherwise uninfected Veterans. A delay in closing common spaces also contributed to cross-contamination and the spread of COVID-19 within the Homes. In the early days of the outbreak, Veterans were allowed to move freely about the Homes. Many did so without wearing masks, even while exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

In many Homes, staff movement has contributed to cross-contamination. At the onset of the outbreak, staff typically were not assigned to work on a dedicated unit, but rotated across all
units. In two Homes, surges of cases were tied to COVID-19 positive staff who had moved throughout the entire facility. While the Homes are now trying to dedicate staff to one particular
unit, staffing shortages have climbed, it is particularly difficult to assign dietary and environmental services staff to a dedicated unit, and many staff continue to serve multiple roles in the Homes.
These staffing shortages could have been prevented, or at least mitigated. Prior to the outbreak, MVC Headquarters failed to make a contingency plan to address potential staffing shortages, and it waited to coordinate with the VA until the Homes were in the midst of the current staffing crisis. Currently, the VA and personnel from The Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team (“DMAT”)
are providing additional staffing as needed.

However, staff morale is low, and many are overwhelmed by the emotional toll of caring for COVID-19 affected Veterans, the negative media attention, and the added demands of COVID-19
protocols—especially when many of them live in Missouri communities where mask mandates and social distancing are not enforced. The Homes need to provide education about practicing COVID19 prevention measures when staff are in their own homes and communities, as well as develop consistent policies regarding when staff who have been exposed to COVID-19 may return to work.

Staff should feel empowered to collaborate with Headquarters in the development of policies and procedures.

The investigation also identified inconsistencies in the use of PPE and in the initial screening process, which may have contributed to cross-contamination.
Finally, although the frequency of cleaning the Homes increased after the outbreak, disinfectant products were not being used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Specifically, staff was only letting the products sit for 1 minute, when the products must sit for 10 minutes to be effective against viruses, including COVID-19. Thus, while the Homes were clean,
they were not disinfected.

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Military, News Tagged With: Armstrong Teasdale, COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes, Gov. Mike Parson, Missouri Veterans Commission

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