By Paul Tuthill
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-873306.mp3
Holyoke, MA – Leaders of several military veterans' organizations in Massachusetts are blasting Governor Deval Patrick for ordering budget cuts they claim will impact healthcare services for thousands of vets.
Representatives from several Massachusetts chapters of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and other veterans organizations called on Governor Patrick to restore funding recently cut from outpatient services at the soldiers' homes in Holyoke and Chelsea.
"I think we're all pretty irate," said Daniel Hamre, the Hamden County Commander of the American Legion. "All I can say is that when it comes to my vote, it's going to make a difference."
The budget cuts at the soldiers homes were part of a series of steps Governor Patrick ordered in October in an attempt to close a projected $650 million deficit in this year's state budget. The Massachusetts legislature, in mid-November, approved a supplemental budget that restored $500,000 each to the two soldiers homes, but Patrick vetoed it. The legislature recessed until January without attempting to override the vetoes.
The outpatient clinic at the Holyoke Soldiers Home is scheduled to close on Tuesday, December 1st. The outpatient clinic at the Chelsea facility is reportedly planning to shut down at the end of December.
Hamre says the closures mean thousands of veterans may have to change doctors and seek care in unfamiliar settings.
"They won't be as comfortable or as compassionate," said Hamre. "I don't want to sound bad to the medical profession but sometimes the veteran takes an extra bit of care. There are different issues for them."
The outpatient clinic at the Holyoke Soldiers Home served about 2,200 people last year, according to supervisor Elaine Peetz.
"It made it convenient for the outpatients, for my veterans, in particular my elderly veterans, to have one site to come to for many of their needs," she said.
Cathy Minkler, who is a shop steward for one of the employee unions at the Holyoke Soldiers Home, says it's believed that at least ten employees will loose there jobs when the outpatient services are ended.
"We're asking people now to call their legislators for the override of the veto," she said. "That would get us the money back, that would put us good until June, and then when the next cuts come, the battle goes on."
The representatives of the veterans groups say they plan to protest at state budget forums that Governor Patrick and members of his cabinet are scheduled to hold around the state during December.
The head of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services, Thomas Kelley, said the staff at the Holyoke Soldiers home is working to transition out patients to other health centers, including the VA Medical Center in Northampton.
"We fully understand the hurt that's being felt out there, but we don't believe it was unreasonable or unfair or else we wouldn't have made the decision," said Kelley.
He said the budget cuts will not impact the core missions of the solider homes, which is to care residential patients.