Greenwood Backs Resolution Calling for Review of Quincy Veterans Home

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – In response to an investigative report that highlighted continued outbreaks of Legionnaire’s disease at the Quincy Veterans Home, state Rep. LaToya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis, is backing a resolution introduced by state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Belleville, that will urge the Rauner administration to submit a detailed, comprehensive report to the General Assembly explaining their timeline and response.

“It is unconscionable that despite the fact a problem was known back in 2015, residents continued to become infected and die into this year,” Greenwood said. “We should be providing the best care possible to our veterans, and I think it’s important to review why these outbreaks are still an issue.”

Under the Greenwood-backed House Resolution 726, the Director of Public Health, Director of Veterans Affairs and the Rauner administration are asked to provide a detailed report to the General Assembly that indicates when they knew about the outbreak, as well as what steps they took to address it. Since the first reported case of Legionnaire’s disease at the Quincy Veterans Home in the summer of 2015, 13 residents have died, while another 61 residents and staff have contracted the disease. The Greenwood-supported resolution encourages the Rauner administration to make the safety and well-being of veterans in Quincy a top priority.

“This has been an incredibly sad situation for the families who trusted our state to provide suitable care for their loved ones,” Greenwood said. “It’s clear that trust was violated, and we need to take every step possible to ensure it does not happen again.”