Pamela Fessler

The meeting included reports from several committees, including Governance, Legislative, Pensions/Relief/Grave Markings, RETX, Transportation, Veterans' Health, VSO Grant, and Women Veterans. Discussion topics covered unfinished business such as TAG priorities, legislative committee templates, the Ombudsman proposal, and P3 LMS information. New business items addressed pension poaching, VSO legislative visit schedules, and commission leadership visit schedules. The agenda also featured operational reports regarding unit mobilizations and deployments, as well as opening remarks and reports from the DAG-VA and other key stakeholders.

The agenda for the meeting includes several standard proceedings such as the Call to Order, Moment of Silence, Pledge of Allegiance, and Roll Call, followed by the Swearing In of Council Members. Key discussion items cover updates from the Medical Director, Admission & Marketing, the Deputy Adjutant General, the Executive Director of Long-Term Care, and the Director of Veterans' Homes. The meeting also includes a Compliance Report, reports from the Commandant and Deputy Commandant, and dedicated sections for reports from Council Members, Old Business, New Business, and Good of the Council.

The meeting agenda included a call to order, pledge of allegiance, and a moment of silence, followed by a video presentation on Veteran Treatment Courts. Key items involved leadership comments, council introductions, and awards, specifically recognizing the GAC-VS Veteran of the Quarter. The council was set to receive updates from various committees: Veterans in Public Service (ViPS), Education, Employment, Workforce Development, Homeless, Aging, Health Promotions, Women Veterans, and Judiciary. The agenda also noted the review and approval of the minutes from the August 6, 2025, meeting.

Key discussion points included the Admissions/Marketing report noting 20 new admissions since the last meeting and a census of 156 out of 171 beds, with ongoing community outreach efforts. The Medical Director confirmed the facility is COVID-free and discussed challenges related to staffing shortages due to salary obstacles, while confirming the availability of the latest COVID vaccine. The Regional Compliance Officer reported that the facility is addressing non-compliance with federal law regarding exclusion checks, securing a contract with VistaMed. The Deputy Adjutant General discussed the passage of the state budget, a proposed increase for the blind veterans' pension, the full capacity of the Philadelphia National Cemetery, and updates on the Hollidaysburg Veterans' Home construction. The Executive Director reported on budget increases, DVVH's high facility ratings, and upcoming changes to publicly post Advisory Council meeting minutes. The Interim Commandant reported on recent admissions, monetary donations, scheduled activities such as casino day and outings, and the completion of a mock survey by BVH headquarters, which identified areas for improvement. Staffing shortages persist, though paid training for nurse aid trainees is underway. There were no concerns reported regarding the quality of care.

The meeting included several key reports and discussions. The Medical Director reported on a recent Covid-19 outbreak, detailing enhanced sanitary measures, quarantine protocols, and vaccination efforts, noting one Covid-associated death. The Admissions and Marketing update indicated a census of 245 residents with a waitlist of 3-6 months for available placements. The Deputy Adjutant General discussed legislative updates and upcoming changes to the DMVA VetConnect website. The Executive Director of Long Term Care detailed mandatory advisory council assessments, including resident care, management, and compliance, and reviewed the progress of the Hollidaysburg construction project, which is awaiting final inspections. The Director of Veterans' Homes provided updates on increased Covid and flu cases across the system, recent menu standardization efforts, updated emergency preparedness plans following external incidents, and forthcoming individual Facebook pages for each state veterans' home. The Commandant provided details on Southeast's 3/5 star health inspection rating, noting zero infection control deficiencies over three years, and discussed active recruitment for key positions. The Deputy Commandant reported on facility upgrades, including an impending camera system upgrade, completion of employee breakroom renovations, revamp of canteen expenditures, and emergent replacement of kitchen equipment.