New Jersey is entering into a federal consent decree to address claims that it violates the constitutional rights of residents of its state veterans homes by failing to keep them safe.
If approved, the proposed consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorneys Office of New Jersey will require the state to meet new, specific standards for patient care at the homes. It would require an overhaul of its infection control and emergency operations practices, for example, and implement other measures for improved leadership and an additional layer of accountability.
The proposed decree also asks the court to appoint an independent monitor to oversee the state’s day-to-day operations and its compliance with the terms of the agreement.
Officials have been investigating state-run veterans homes since late 2020 after allegations of depraved conditions and treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the justice department concluded that the state failed to provide the residents of its veterans homes with conditions of reasonable care and safety, in violation of their 14th Amendment rights. The homes saw among the highest number of reported deaths during the first wave of the coronavirus.
The consent decree now goes before a federal court for final approval.
