(Western Mass News – Paris Dunford) A name change has come to the Holyoke Soldier’s Home, as well as a new chain of command for veterans’ services in the state three years after a deadly COVID-19 outbreak claimed the lives of nearly 80 veterans.
March 1 marked a historic change in government in Massachusetts when it comes to veteran affairs. A new Executive Office of Veterans’ Services was established. The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that Dr. Jon Santiago will be the new secretary. He’s a U.S. Army Reserve major, a former state representative, and an emergency room physician.
The change came as a result of legislation enacted during the Baker Administration. It takes the department to a cabinet level position, instead of being under the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Advocates, like John Paradis, told Western Mass News that this is a big step in making sure veterans in the state are cared for.
“It was necessary to have a Secretary of Veterans’ Services who’s at the seat of government, that’s able to directly talk and communicate with the governor, as a full-fledged cabinet member. That is significant,” Paradis said.
The step improves the chain of command, which is something State Senator John Velis said should’ve been better during the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home in 2020.
“The chain of command that existed prior to two days ago was overly burdensome, way too many layers of it. What happened is it made it virtually impossible for someone who, say, would be at the homes and they needed to get something to the governor, or the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, they needed to go through a lot of layers to get there,” Velis said.
Paradis is a member of the Veterans Advoacy Coalition. The group sent a list of calls to action to Santiago and invited him to come visit the veterans’ home in western Massachusetts. Along with the addition of the cabinet office, there are other changes, including the names of the two homes that serve veterans residents. Instead of soldier’s homes, they will be referred to as veterans’ homes to include all branches of the U.S. Military.
“The soldiers’ home is truly a home for all veterans of every branch of service. Not only our soldiers, but our sailors, our airmen, our Marines, Coast Guard, and as well as now today, the Space Force,” Paradis explained.
The Holyoke Soldiers’ Home is now called the Massachusetts Veterans’ Home in Holyoke. With this update, homes will also have to apply for and maintain certain Department of Public Health licensures and certifications and will be inspected twice a year by DPH.