CHELSEA — The I-Team tracked down Eric Johnson, the Chelsea soldier’s house superintendent, but he refused to speak to his leadership and the inspector general’s letter denouncing the situation at the house.
Mr Johnson took leave last year over allegations of sexual harassment and bullying. He returned to work after a few months. Now the Inspector General has raised new concerns about his integrity and allegations of retaliation by his employees.
In a letter sent to Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders, the IG condemned the Baker administration for failing to take action to protect veterans at Chelsea Home, saying they knew the problem. He said he did nothing.
The letter details dozens of reports from 2022, including those uncovered by state inspectors. Home leadership. ”
According to another report, a home veteran was found lying “soaked in urine and sitting in feces.”
Eric Sheehan will run the Home in 2021 and was later promoted to Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The I-Team first spoke with Sheehan last summer when the former Marine said he was fired after repeatedly questioning his care and management at Chelsea and Holyoke.
Sheehan told I-Team that he had thousands of documents and emails to prove it, describing what IG found as “disgusting. Really. They brought in a team of experts to , they should get it right.They are better, the staff and the veterans there deserve better.” Of what should happen to Eric Johnson, Sheehan said he was “fired.”
Sheehan said IG’s letter basically confirmed all his concerns.
The I-Team also spoke with Beth Scheffler, another whistleblower who oversaw the nursing staff at Chelsea Home in 2021. Lack of infection control.
Beth told I-Team that the state’s new administration must “appoint people who follow rules and policies, put veterans first and staff first.”
Both Sheehan and Schaeffler have filed whistleblower lawsuits. The I-Team has learned that the Chelsea Soldiers Home held an emergency meeting on Friday. The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to our request for comment.
Cheryl Fiandaka
