POLICY STATEMENT.

The Division of Veterans Healthcare Services (DVHS) requires that each of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes (VMH) establish protocols that assure that personal belongings and/or possessions of veterans home residents are rightfully returned to the resident, or to the resident’s legal representative in the event of the resident’s death or discharge, absolving the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home of the responsibility for securing and storing personal items.

PURPOSE.

This policy and procedure shall serve to provide for the legal and lawful return of personal belongings of discharged or deceased residents to the resident, or to the resident’s designated responsible agent, absolving the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home of the responsibility for securing and storing these items.

NOTE:  Personal clothing and related items such as hearing aids, dentures, customized assistive equipment, etc., shall be released to the designated responsible agent at the time of death without a Surrogates Order.  Other items such as money, jewelry, furnishings, etc., will require the Surrogates Order for release.

PROCEDURE.

1. New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes

2. The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes shall provide for the receipt, inventory and release of veterans home resident’s personal belongings as follows:

3. Admission Procedure:

1. All items are to be inventoried and the documentation retained in the Medical Record.

2. Additional possessions brought in during the duration of the individual’s stay shall be added to the existing admission inventory.

3. During the admission interview process, an agent or guardian must be designated accountable to assume responsibility for all personal possessions at the time of discharge or death.

4. Discharge or Death Procedure:

Following the discharge or death of a resident, all personal clothing and items
of a customized personal nature are to be given to the designated responsible agent.

1. Inventories of all items are to be reviewed and examined with/by Social Services and the designated responsible agent.  Recipients of such personal items at the time of discharge or death shall sign-off with their legal signature, acknowledging receipt of all personal belongings presented.  The inventory shall be maintained in the resident's medical chart.

2. For deceased residents, a Surrogates Order is required for the release of all other personal belongings, i.e., jewelry, furnishings, and money.

3. Notification of the deceased resident’s family or responsible agent will be accomplished by means of a "Certified Letter - Return Receipt Requested" which shall be sent as soon as possible after the death, indicating and containing:

3a. Inventory - A copy of the inventory listings.

3b. Disposition – Offering alternative methods of disposing of all the resident’s personal possessions, i.e.:

1. Pick Up - To be picked up by the family or the responsible agent;

2. Mail - To be forwarded by mail (this will require charges to the family or responsible agent for shipping and handling costs);

3. Documentation - The resident’s medical record should contain documentation regarding the method of disposition, as well as the shipping and handling receipts;

4. Donation – This may be based upon the resident’s Last Will and Testament, or upon family or responsible agent requests;

5. Destruction - This may be based upon the resident’s Last Will and Testament, or upon family or responsible agent requests.

4. The family or responsible agent must respond to the VMH within 30 days of the resident's death regarding the disposition of the resident’s property.

4a. Failure to respond within the designated time frame will result in the VMH disposing of the possessions as deemed appropriate.

Revised: June 2007