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News from the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services 4/13/20

April 13, 2020
Posted on: April 13, 2020 - 1:54pm

Status Reports

  • Bedford VA:  with mission of geriatrics, mental health, and primary care, Bedford is fulfilling its mission by making space on its units to allow VA Boston to transfer some of its patients to a less intense level of care.  Bedford opened a new mental health unit; combined two community living center wards (nursing homes) to create a COVID+ ward; will start drive-through testing (by appointment only) in next few days; and minimizing the number of non-essential employees going to the CLC.
  • VA Boston:  COVID+ areas are set up in the ICU and an inpatient unit; we are seeing a higher census; on average, 150 employees are home on quarantine; 3 patients are under investigation; 4 patients are COVID+ and 12 employees are COVID+.  We began doing the COVID test in-house in our laboratory but are still limited by a lack of tests.  We are still using outside labs to run our tests.  We’re supporting Chelsea Soldier’s Home with testing and infection prevention measures.  We’ll also be admitting their residents, as necessary, to our hospitals (Boston and Bedford).
  • Central Western MA (CWM):   with mission of geriatrics, mental health, and primary care, CWM closed its CLC early; is conducting drive-through testing; is supporting its over 150 Soldier-On residents on its campus; patients are seen by appointment only in their CBOCs; employees are having their temperatures taken prior to their shift; they are practicing social distancing; and 90% of care is now being delivered virtually.
    • Veterans Benefits Administration:  Staff is teleworking as of March 9; cancelled Travel Board Hearings; claims processing is continuing, and productivity has increased 32% above March 2019 figures; claims are now down to 79.9 days on average; and subsistence allowance for education benefits are continuing. 
    • National Cemetery:  The Bourne cemetery is open to visitors; the office is closed; still conducting burials; no committal services are being conducted except families (groups of less than 10) can witness lowering of the casket; can schedule a committal service later; cannot accept flowers at this time, but families can leave on the grave themselves.
    • Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial State Cemeteries:  The grounds are open to visitors; the office is closed; still conducting burials; no committal services are being conducted. Families wishing to view a recent gravesite should come after 4pm to visit. 
  • Vet Center:  clients are screened prior to appointments, most of which are held by phone or virtually; all centers remain open for walk-ins.
  • Chap 115: DVS is taking measures to reduce applicants visits to Service offices, including streamlining the Chapter 115 process to approve applications for benefits and reimburse the communities for these expenditures during this crisis. Requests for assistance for cases that involve covid -19 should be submitted on a monthly basis. Also to reiterate Do not include any benefit received by a veteran under the Economic Stimulus Bill as income when calculating eligibility for and the amount of Chapter 115 benefits.  In addition, do not  include this money when calculating the veteran’s assets.

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