Gov. Maura Healey appoints first Secretary of Veterans Services
BOSTON — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey appointed the Commonwealth's first Secretary of Veterans' Services Friday morning, establishing the newly created office following mishandlings of COVID in Massachusetts two soldiers' homes.
Jon Santiago, a former state representative and current major in the U.S. Army Reserves and emergency room doctor at Boston Medical Center, was sworn into his new role at a ceremony at the State House.
In his new role, Santiago will oversee the superintendents of the Commonwealth's soldiers' homes in Holyoke and Chelsea.
The decision to form the new office comes after over 100 veterans died due to COVID while under care at the facilities.
In 2020, 77 veterans died from COVID while at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, where leadership was blasted by a report by the Inspector General last year. 31 veterans died from COVID-19 at the Chelsea soldiers' home as well.
"That was a tragedy and that's what we're here to rectify," Santiago said. "The tools are in there to do something about it. As you know, the Governor just released her budget and the budget includes about an 11% increase in the department of Veteran Services to become the Executive Office of Veterans' services. So there's an injection of resources, of human resources, to rectify the problem and I'm looking forward to leading that effort."
Santiago said he plans to use his experience from the military and medical field in this new role and work with colleagues across the state to better serve our veterans.