Charlotte Hall Veterans Home
Status Update
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs ending its contract with the management contractor?
In January, Charlotte Hall Veterans Home received a one star quality rating and abuse warning from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, followed by a health inspection from the Maryland Department of Health Office of Healthcare Quality that confirmed the facility was not in quality compliance.
Therefore, Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Woods determined that now is the time to pursue a new contract with a new vendor to provide the care and facility support that Charlotte Hall residents deserve.
Who is the Office of Healthcare Quality?
The Office of Healthcare Quality is the unit within the Maryland Department of Health charged with monitoring the quality of care in Maryland’s health care facilities and community based programs.
The office issues licenses and certifications, conducts compliance surveys, and provides technical assistance to licensees, consumers, and other stakeholders.
What does a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services one star quality rating mean?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created a five star quality rating system to help consumers, their families, and caregivers compare nursing homes more easily. Nursing homes with five stars are considered to have much above average quality and homes with one star are considered to have quality much below average.
How is the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs responding?
At this time, the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs is pursuing a new full service management contract. Residents, families, responsible parties and management service contract staff have been notified of the management contract termination.
The Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs is working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Maryland Department of Health, and St. Mary’s County Health Department to ensure a smooth transition from the current management contractor to a new one.
In addition, the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs completed emergency procurements for health and wellness assessments to be conducted for every single resident at the Charlotte Hall facility.
Does this mean Charlotte Hall residents are being moved to another facility?
No, Charlotte Hall staff remain onsite and there is no plan to transfer residents to another facility.
Is Charlotte Hall open to new admissions?
Charlotte Hall is continuing operations. During this transition period, however, Charlotte Hall is not receiving new admissions. When a new management contractor is in place and we feel sufficient progress has been made in improving performance, we will revisit opening admissions.
What is being done to safeguard residents?
The Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs, in partnership with the St. Mary’s County Health Department is hiring additional resident safety advocates to increase monitoring and make rounds.
Health and wellness assessments are being conducted on all residents and results will be shared with healthcare providers and families. Family members and responsible parties will receive details about their loved one’s individual care status when the review is complete.
A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs quality team has toured Charlotte Hall and provided recommendations for improving quality of care and will support Charlotte Hall staff going forward with additional training.
When will a new management team be in place?
With a core focus on resident safety, the transition process is proceeding as quickly as possible. We will update families and residents when a new management contract is awarded in the coming weeks.
The Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs reaffirms its duty to serve those who served the nation in uniform. This is a pivotal moment and actions moving forward will improve and transform how Charlotte Hall Veterans Home cares for veterans and their spouses.
The Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs will hold weekly virtual office hours every Thursday from 11a.m to 1pm. Staff will be available to answer questions and provide updates as they become available.
Join via Google Meet:
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/znt-zvqi-adf
Or by phone: 414-885-4769 PIN: 772 076 131#
Updated March 13, 2023
