Report 2012-119 Recommendation 4 Responses
Report 2012-119: California Department of Veterans Affairs: It Has Initiated Plans to Serve Veterans Better and More Cost-Efficiently, but Further Improvements Are Needed (Release Date: May 2013)
Recommendation #4 To: Veterans Affairs, Department of
CalVet should provide similar oversight to the veterans homes in implementing the standardized staffing model, once it is finalized.
1-Year Agency Response
1. A Budget Change Proposal was approved as part of the January 2014 Governors Budget to convert contracted positions to civil services to implement the staffing standards. This enables all the homes to be staffed the same in the areas of food service, security and veteran claim representative. 2. On May 20 and May 22, 2014, the Legislature approved CalVet's proposal to convert contracted landscapers to civil service in the Chula Vista home. They are the only home that was dependent on contracted services in this area. As a result the homes will all be consistent with the staffing standards in this area. 3. All vacancies are filled through the completion of a form called M-80. Since the implementation of the staffing standards, all M-80s are signed by an executive manager in the Homes Division to ensure compliance with the staffing Standards. Those that do not meet the staffing standards are rejected. Attached you will find the policy samples of M-80s from all homes with the new required approval from Homes Division.
- Completion Date: May 2014
- Response Date: June 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
CalVet continues to monitor 'Hours Per Resident Day' reports weekly and has demonstrated that this is an ongoing task that it has done routinely therefore this item is complete.
- Completion Date: November 2013
- Response Date: November 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
Although it has provided evidence that it continues to monitor nurse-to-member ratios, CalVet has not provided evidence that it is providing similar oversight of its other staff classifications based on the standardized staffing model.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
60-Day Agency Response
CalVet plans on developing a standardized staffing model for the Veterans homes:
1) Veterans Homes Redding and Fresno BCP in Governor's May Revision with the staffing standard approved for July 1, 2013 included staffing standards.
2) Hours Per Patient Day Policy Developed.
3) Application of Title 22 related to staffing was clarified with CDPH for ICF level of care.
- Estimated Completion Date: Fiscal Year 2014-15
- Response Date: July 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented
All Recommendations in 2012-119
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.