On December 18th, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, released a 45-page report relating to numerous conditions and practices that violate the 'constitutional and federal statutory rights'  of the residents at the William F. Green Veterans Home.  The report follows an inspection, interviews and document review by officials of the Alabama Veterans Home.  The  federal report, authored by acting Assistant Attorney General Grace Chung Becker, concludes residents at the facility 'suffer significant harm and risk of harm from the facility's inadequate medical and nursing services.'

In particular, the report identifies the following problems relating to improper patient care:

• Inadequate nutrition and hydration
• Improper use of psychotropic medication
• Inadequate pressure sore treatment
• Inadequate restorative care and specialized rehabilitation services
• Failure to protect residents from harm due to falls
• Failure to investigate allegations of resident abuse
• Inappropriate use of restraints

Human Management Resources has had the contract to staff Alabama's three veteran's home since 2004. In 2007, an Alabama Department of Public Health inspection revealed staffing violations and the company was downgraded to probationary status.

Despite the reports of serious safety violations, no immediate penalties have been implemented.  'Scot Montrey, a spokesman for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division says, "It is quite possible that some remedies will already be under way.  "Our next step ... depends on the level of cooperation we receive, but typically we reach some kind of settlement rather than having to file a lawsuit."

Read more about these allegation of improper nursing care here.