Moore Highlights Turnaround At Charlotte Hall Veterans Home During Statewide Tour

CHARLOTTE HALL, Md. — Gov. Wes Moore visited Charlotte Hall Veterans Home on Monday as part of his “Delivering for Maryland” tour, pointing to what state officials describe as a major turnaround in care and oversight at the state’s only veterans home.

The visit comes roughly three years after the state terminated a long-standing private operator contract following reports of neglect, a move that led to new management, increased oversight and measurable improvements in care. The facility has since improved from a one-star to a four-star overall rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, alongside a five-star staffing rating.

Asked what residents and families can expect moving forward, Moore said the improvements at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home are tied to changes in management, accountability and care standards implemented after the facility’s one-star rating in 2023. 

“At a one-star rating, it was almost criminal what was happening to these veterans,” Moore said.

Moore said the administration prioritized replacing leadership, improving oversight and raising the standard of care, including enhancements to daily services, food and health support.

“We had to get new management, we had to get new accountability, and we had to get a new standard,” Moore said. “These are people who deserve not just better, they deserve the best.”

Moore said the improvements are part of a broader commitment to ensuring veterans receive high-quality care and said the facility’s rise to a four-star rating is evidence of progress.

“We’ve gone from a one-star veterans home to now a four-star veterans home,” Moore said. “It means that we support our veterans and that we take ‘leave no one behind’ seriously.”

After State Takeover, Charlotte Hall Shows Measurable Gains

Moore, speaking during the visit, said the turnaround of the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home was one of the first major challenges identified at the start of his administration, citing a one-star federal rating and conditions he described as failing Maryland veterans.

“It was the morning after inauguration that I received my first brief about Charlotte Hall,” Moore said. “That first brief said that our state was failing and endangering these patriots.”

Moore said the state acted within months in 2023 to terminate the facility’s previous operator and bring in new management under an emergency contract, alongside increased oversight and staffing improvements.

“Everybody deserved better, so this administration acted immediately,” Moore said.

Moore pointed to measurable progress, including the facility’s rise to a four-star overall rating, and he said the improvements made were an example of rapid state intervention and accountability in long-term care.

“Three years later, I am proud to be standing today at not a one-star Charlotte Hall, but today at a four-star Charlotte Hall veterans home here in St. Mary’s County,” Moore said.

Moore emphasized that the home serves nearly 280 residents, with 96% having served during wartime, underscoring the urgency behind the state’s response and continued investment in veteran care.

“Ninety-six percent of the people here at Charlotte Hall, when our nation needed them, they didn’t ask our nation to wait,” Moore said. 

Moore pointed to the depth of service among the residents at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home.

“Right now, Charlotte Hall is home to veterans, where we have three bronze star recipients here at Charlotte Hall, four Purple Heart recipients here at Charlotte Hall, these patriots heard the call to serve,” Moore said. “They represent the best of this country. They understood that the promise of tomorrow is determined by the progress of today, and their service and sacrifice remind us that progress does not happen — progress is made to happen.

Moore said the effort is ongoing, and that while progress has been made, the administration is focused on continued improvements toward a higher standard of care.

“Now, when they come home, simply asking for the basic promises that this country made to them, we were not going to now ask them to wait,” Moore said.

State Leaders Emphasize Sustained Progress, Plan To Expand Model Statewide

Maryland Department of Veterans & Military Families Secretary Ed Rothstein said improvements at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home reflect sustained progress over several years, with a continued focus on quality of care rather than a sudden change in operations.

“The transition from the one star to the four star has been over the last couple of years,” Rothstein said. “But the focus has always been on veterans.”

Rothstein said the facility’s rise to a four-star rating was the result of consistent improvements in services and staffing, and that the quality of care being delivered is now being recognized at the federal level. He also emphasized the broader goal of expanding access to similar care across Maryland, and the need to replicate the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home model statewide.

“The success that we see today needs to be replicated across Maryland,” Rothstein said. “We have 1,200 plus veterans that are eligible for this type of service right now and we have about 280 veterans that reside here — I want to be able to replicate that across Maryland.”

Rothstein highlighted staffing stability as a key factor in the facility’s success, citing a five-star staffing rating and a workforce model focused on retention, leadership and continuity of care.

“We are five star in staffing, and that’s pretty special,” Rothstein said. “The reason I believe the staff stays here is because of the quality of leadership and the quality of service to them.”

Lindsay Livingston, communications director for the Department of Veterans & Military Families, said the administration’s focus at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home is centered on maintaining and building on its commitment to veterans and their families. She said there is a need for continuity of care and long-term accountability in places like Charlotte Hall.

“We build on the promise to veterans, and to the families that are residents here,” Livingston said.  “Continuing to build on the promise and the governor’s directive that we leave no one behind, and that falls into the care that residents can expect to receive here.”

Livingston said the improvements at the facility reflect a broader shift in how the state approaches veteran care, with an emphasis on adapting services to meet changing needs as Maryland’s veteran population ages.

“What we’re seeing here today is how our department is reinventing how we care for veterans and their families,” Livingston said.

Livingston also pointed to the department’s goal of expanding access to care beyond Charlotte Hall, and that the state is working to apply lessons learned at the facility to better serve veterans statewide.

“We have 350,000 veterans that live in the state of Maryland,” Livingston said. “We want to take what’s being done here and take it across the state, so more veterans and their families have access to care.”

Improved Communication Strengthens Oversight At Veterans Home

St. Mary’s County Commissioner Mike Alderson said coordination between state and local officials has strengthened in recent years, with more consistent communication and transparency surrounding operations at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home — a state-managed facility.

Alderson said coordination has improved under the Moore administration and the leadership of Secretary Ed Rothstein, with regular updates now provided to county commissioners and an open line of communication between state and local officials.

“Since the governor has come on and since Secretary Rothstein has taken over, we get a report at least quarterly,” Alderson said. “We’ve worked with the Moore administration to open that up, and if they need us to do something real quick, we can come in and do something.”

Alderson said stronger communication, transparency and collaboration between state and local officials have helped prevent gaps in oversight and ensure better outcomes for residents, particularly at a state facility located within the county.

“Opening up that dialog has helped the Veterans Home and the county commissioners, because the last thing anybody wants to be is blindsided by something terrible happening in your neighborhood and you not knowing about it,” Alderson said. “At the end of the day, it’s the citizens who end up paying the price for that, and having these clear lines of communication and transparency is extremely important.”

Alderson also pointed to workforce challenges in long-term care, emphasizing the importance of recruiting and retaining staff committed to the mission of veteran care. 

“It’s always tough to keep people on,” Alderson said. “It’s really about finding people who are dedicated to the mission.”

Statewide Resources Aim To Expand Support For Maryland Veterans

As the state highlights progress at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, officials emphasized that the work extends beyond a single facility, pointing to a broader effort to connect Maryland’s veteran community with services and support statewide.

The Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families offers assistance to veterans, service members and their families through outreach programs, benefits support and community partnerships, helping individuals navigate available federal, state and local resources. 

Veterans seeking to access benefits can work directly with accredited specialists through the department’s service program, which provides guidance on applying for healthcare, financial assistance and other earned benefits at no cost. 

Secretary Rothstein encouraged veterans, families, officials and community members to sign up for the department’s newsletter to stay informed.

Additional resources and information are available through the state’s “Landing Zone Maryland” initiative, which connects veterans and their families with services ranging from housing and employment assistance to healthcare and education programs across the state. 

State leaders said the improvements at Charlotte Hall reflect a larger commitment to ensuring veterans receive consistent, high-quality care and access to the services they have earned — both within the facility and throughout Maryland.

Following Photos from the Office of Governor Wes Moore

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