Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 16, 1995 TAG: 9506160067
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY AND LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Virginia Veterans Care Center in Roanoke, not yet 3 years old, is the target of a state police investigation into allegations of wrongful death, Gov. George Allen's office said Thursday.
While that is the most serious indication of problems at the center, it is not the only one.
A state official confirms there have been problems with inadequate staffing.
And Michael Fries of Botetourt County, the only Allen appointee on the center's board of trustees, charges that the place is poorly run and poorly managed and should be restructured. He has called for the firing of several center managers and the resignation of the entire board.
Fries, who himself is under investigation for ``inappropriate behavior and language'' at the center, further contends that state officials have failed to heed his concerns about the quality of care given to the center's more than 200 patients.
He has been barred from the center during investigation of the allegations against him, but said he will attend the regular board meeting there this afternoon accompanied by his attorney, Thomas W. Roe Jr. of Fincastle.
The investigation into wrongful-death claims is separate from the investigation of Fries, and not even the state's liaison with the center knew about it, said Melissa Dickie, deputy press secretary to the governor.
Dickie wouldn't give any details.
Center Administrator Mike Little said he, too, was unaware of the state police involvement.
Little, who was named administrator in February, works for Diversified Health Services Inc., of Memphis, Tenn., the private company that leases the facility from the board. An executive director hired by the board and the administrator hired by Diversified oversee operations of the $15.3 million care center.
Just inside Roanoke at its boundary with Salem, the center is a combination of nursing home and adult home on 20 lush acres adjoining the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center complex. The facility, with bright shops and airy dining and recreational areas, was designed to ensure a homey atmosphere for the 232 veterans who live there. It has a capacity of 240.
It is not affiliated with the VA, but residents receive a federal subsidy to help pay for their care.
When it opened in November 1992, the center was hailed as a big step toward assisting the state's aging veteran population and a model for privatization of public services.
But in the past year, relationships among board members became strained, an executive director left abruptly and an administrator was transferred. Last month, the League of Older Americans Area Agency on Aging in Roanoke and the Roanoke Department of Social Services began investigating patients' complaints of spoken abuse by Fries.
Banning Fries from the facility during the investigation was standard procedure, said Chris LaCivita, assistant to the Virginia secretary of administration.
``This involves inappropriate behavior and language used by a gubernatorial appointee,'' LaCivita said. He said the investigation could be completed by early next week.
LaCivita plans to be at today's board meeting and said he intends ``to straighten [the board] out. It's a priority.''
LaCivita said that despite the situation, ``Mr. Fries has done many good things for the home.''
And, LaCivita said, he, too, is concerned about the adequacy of staffing in the home. ``Staff levels for the most part are on par but I'd like to see a few things corrected. We need more [certified nursing assistants]. But I'm not aware of flagrant violations.''
A resident council representing the 60 veterans in the adult care section of the home got up a petition in support of Fries.
``Mr. Fries was by nature very outspoken. He was very helpful to people who reside here. He was quite popular with the residents,'' said William Hanson, president of the council.
``He helped establish a resident council. He's been very instrumental in revising the food service system. He assisted people when they had financial problems - not out of his pocket, but with various grants afforded veterans," Hanson said.
Asked if residents were concerned, he said:
``We're concerned in a sense that anything affecting the center is a direct concern to us. Fries was a constructive force in this building. I think he would have made a good executive director. But I don't think the chances are good now because of what's happening. I think his usefulness has been seriously compromised and I'll regret that. I'm not trying to sit in judgment of anyone. But I'm not unaware of things going on here.''
The trouble on the board appears to be partly political and partly a clash of personalities.
Fries is the only trustee to be appointed directly by Allen. The other nine trustees had been appointed by former Gov. Douglas Wilder.
And when the political winds shift, disruption can follow.
``You've got to look at the board and who's appointed,'' John Plichta, who left the executive director's job in April, said last week. ``You've got longtime Democrats appointed to the board and you bring in somebody like Mr. Fries, a Republican appointment. It significantly changed the board.''
Plichta said he left his $55,000-a-year position largely over disagreement with the board members over their desire to have him ``take a more adversarial, confrontational role with [Diversified]. I wasn't willing to do that.''
The roles of the executive director and the trustees in the home's operation is a topic of disagreement, one board member said.
Fries, however, has been aggressive in overseeing the home's operation.
He said he has told the secretary of administration four times since February that the ``concept'' of the home is not good and that it should be under the direction of a state agency instead of being run by ``10 people.''
Unlike most other trustees, Fries, who is retired, has been a constant presence at the center, visiting with staff, patients and their families.
Fries also said he had little patience with the other board members because he didn't think they were doing their jobs.
``When Mr. Fries came on board, all hell broke loose,'' said Jessie Rattley, a trustee from Newport News.
The 10-member board of trustees is the core of the center's operation. The board - which appoints the executive director - ensures that the center runs according to its contract with Diversified Health Services.
The center's operational structure is unique among the country's 72 other state nursing homes for veterans. The center makes about $330,000 a year for the state. About half is designated for board expenses. The remainder is placed in a maintenance reserve fund.
by CNB