Just under 1,000 nursing home workers employed at seven shut down facilities across Louisiana are without jobs.
Investigators from the Louisiana Department of Health blame the operator of those closed facilities, Bob Dean, for leading a deadly storm evacuation to a warehouse in Independence.
It is unclear how many of those workers were actually involved in the evacuation.
Dean is appealing state leaders’ decision to shut down his facilities. A letter submitted to the state shows Dean’s attorney arguing last-minute changes in Hurricane Ida’s trajectory created staffing shortages and the conditions residents reported in Independence.
Dean’s attorney also noted the state’s health department approved the evacuation plans before Hurricane Ida’s arrival.
In addition to losing his licenses to operate, Medicaid provider agreements were cut for Dean’s seven homes. Family members of residents at those homes and several of Dean’s former staffers are suing.
State and federal law enforcement officials are also investigating, after shutting down the warehouse in September to pull more than 800 evacuees out.
