More than 70 people in a rehabilitation program at Veterans Village of San Diego were forced to leave the facility by Monday afternoon, with just a few days notice. This comes after California officials suspended the rehab program’s license following seven deaths at the facility in just over two years.
The California Department of Health Care Services said in a statement that it had revoked the license and issued a temporary suspension order to Veterans Village of San Diego’s residential substance use disorder treatment program.
“This action follows serious concerns about client safety at VVSD,” the department’s statement reads in part. “Between January 2022 and October 2022, five deaths at VVSD were reported to DHCS, prompting investigations that uncovered multiple health and safety violations.”
DHCS said it entered into a stipulated settlement agreement with VVSD in March 2023, but two additional deaths – in September 2023 and March 2024 – along with further violations “revealed VVSD’s failure to adhere to the agreement, leading to this licensing action.”
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Clients were told on Sept. 5 and the suspension took effect Monday. Civilian participants of the treatment program – funded by Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program – said they were told Thursday they had to be out by Monday at 1 p.m.
Veterans Village of San Diego said in a statement that its veteran-specific programs were “fully operational and remain unaffected by the current temporary suspension.”
“We are deeply concerned by the State’s swift and severe decision, especially during a time when homelessness is on the rise, fentanyl misuse is escalating, and economic uncertainty is widespread,” VVSD’s statement reads, in part. “This decision has come as a profound shock to our team, who have consistently worked to meet every request aimed at enhancing the quality of our programs and services. The impact on our staff and the clients we serve is deeply distressing.”
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One by one Monday morning, residents brought their belongings outside. Some had suitcases, others garbage bags. A few were headed to other facilities, or to stay with family and friends. Some said they had no plan.
“Basically they’re kicking everybody out to the streets, if you have a place to go or not, as of today,” said Fernando Gamez.
Gamez said he had been staying at the facility on Pacific Highway for three months.
“Things were working out well for me but they just – they pulled the rug out from everybody,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been, like I’m a piece of trash and just shoved out to the f***ing curb to be thrown away."
“They don't give us a direction to go, where to start, like for housing or jobs,” said Gabriel Ruben Mendoza. “So it's kind of confusing as to how to move from here.”
DHCS said San Diego County had a contractual obligation to coordinate care for Medi-Cal members. A county spokesman said representatives of the county were on site throughout the weekend to help find people shelter and services. As of Monday afternoon, the county said 72 of the 74 individuals had been provided shelter or checked themselves out of the facility, and they were working with 17 people to find housing.
Still, some residents said Monday they didn't know what to do, and some were concerned participants may relapse.
“I mean, I don’t know, just the whole process of it, I feel myself kind of in a downward spiral already of emotions, of hope,” Mendoza said.
“We don’t matter to them. That’s quite apparent,” said Gamez.
The suspension applied only to the substance use disorder treatment program, while the facility continued to house veterans.
The Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System said in a statement that of the 141 veterans the VA was funding who were housed at VVSD, 48 had received treatment for substance use disorder. The VA San Diego said its team was onsite to meet with those residing on campus and assisting in providing them choices for service.
The VA San Diego said veterans who received the substance use services can still live at VVSD while being treated by another provider, but they’ve halted any new admissions to the facility.
