The Connecticut Veterans' Home in Rocky Hill includes a nursing home and a domiciliary that gives shelter and food to many veterans who were formerly homeless. A recent study of the facility points to a need for dramatic improvements.
The General Assembly's Program Review and Investigations Committee recommended that housing at the state veterans' home be divided into two programs: transitional and permanent supportive housing. Currently, only half of the domiciliary is occupied, and 60 percent of the residents have lived there longer than three years.
Legislative staff who studied the campus over several months said there's inadequate staffing to achieve the goal of helping veterans find a job or housing off-campus. There is currently one full-time social worker for every 96 residents.
State Representative Christie Carpino of Portland is the one who brought the issue before lawmakers. Carpino told the committee on Friday, "We should be embarrassed -- for those of you who haven't been out there -- you would be embarrassed at the accommodations and the lack of services we're giving our veterans."
The committee also found the Board of Trustees to the Veterans' Home provides little oversight to how the facility operates, and has met infrequently over several years.
The report has been sent to Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman. She's leading the governor's task force that is also looking at ways to improve the Rocky Hill campus.
The Program Review and Investigations Committee plans to offer up a bill related to the study and hold further public hearings.
The new legislative session begins in January.
Watch CT-N's footage of the hearing below:
