Barstow Vets Home

 

Earlier this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration proposed to close the Barstow Veterans Home and displace the 200 Veterans who call it home. I’d like to give our community an update on this proposal as well as the efforts to keep this vital facility open. Though the state budget is understandably stretched thin by the coronavirus epidemic and the resulting economic crisis, I hope everyone can agree that the state should not attempt to balance the budget on the backs of our Veterans.

Closing the Barstow Veterans Home isn’t good public policy because of its location: it is the only Veteran’s home in the Inland Empire, and our community has one of the highest concentrations of Veterans in the state. In addition, this Veterans home was sited here due to its unique proximity to multiple military installations, including Barstow Marine Corps Logistics Base, the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base, the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station and Edwards Air Force Base.

Working alongside local representatives such as Congressman Paul Cook, Supervisor Dawn Rowe, Barstow Mayor Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre, Victorville Mayor Gloria Garcia and others, we delivered the message to the state that closing the home is absolutely unacceptable to the communities we represent. We were fortunate that the attempt to close the home was made through the budget, as I serve as vice-chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee and was able to effectively advocate for saving the home. State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, and I were successful in working with our respective budget committees in the Senate and the Assembly to block the governor’s proposal and pass alternative language in the budget.

The final 2020-2021 budget rejects closure of the Barstow Veterans Home in the current fiscal year and instead requires the California Department of Veterans Affairs, or CalVet, to hold a series of stakeholder meetings to study the issue and develop a plan for the future of the home. The plan options studied must include not only the option of closing the home but also the option of keeping it open by expanding the home’s skilled nursing facility or converting the home’s intermediate care facility into a residential care facility for the elderly.

Both of these options were recommended in CalVet’s 2020 Master Plan as ways to maximize the usage of the home. The budget control language also mandates that any change of the home’s use must include a transition plan that ensures none of the residents are involuntarily discharged without given an alternative placement option. CalVet is required to complete its report for the Legislature by Feb. 1, 2021.

Last week I joined other local leaders in participating in one of the stakeholder meetings the Legislature required CalVet to hold. During the meeting we made it clear in no uncertain terms that closure of this vital facility is not acceptable to our community.

While we were able to save this home from closure in the current year’s budget, I remain committed to find ways to better maximize the usage of this critical facility and ensure that our Veterans can stay in our community.

CalVet will continue to hold meetings with local officials, statewide Veterans groups and the Legislature. I ask that everyone who supports our Veterans send an email to CalVet stating that you encourage them to keep the Barstow Veterans Home open and oppose any effort to close it. CalVet’s email for public input is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I believe that ensuring we honor our commitment to our Veterans should be a top priority of our government. As President Roosevelt said, “A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards.” Please join me in giving our Veterans a square deal and keeping the Barstow Veterans Home open.

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