How Does Gracedale Stack Up With Other Lehigh Valley Nursing Homes?

I've spent a lot of time covering the problems at Gracedale over the past several years. This home gets a lot of coverage from me because something always is going on there and it is publicly owned. It also recently attracted the attention of a NorCo Investigating Grand Jury. Is it packed with lies and perjury, as Zrinski asserted just last week? And what about other nursing homes in Northampton and Lehigh County?  Are they even worse, as NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski has suggested during a county council meeting? I've reviewed the Department of Health and ProPublica inspection records for nursing homes in Northampton and Lehigh counties from 2024 to present. They reveal numerous deficiencies since 2024, ranging from relatively minor regulatory violations to findings classified as posing immediate jeopardy to residents’ health or safety. Gracedale is among the worst. 

What is a deficiency? It means inspectors determined that a facility failed to meet a federal or state requirement. The seriousness of those deficiencies, however, varies considerably.

The most significant findings involve deficiencies classified as J, K or L, the highest levels on the federal scope-and-severity scale. Recent federal data identify J-level findings at both Gracedale and Bethlehem South, while Phoebe Allentown had a K-level infection-control finding in 2025.

Gracedale

It appears that the coverage I've given is warranted. It has had more than 20 deficiencies since 2024.

Among the most serious was a J-level finding in May 2026 , which occurred six months after Exec. Zrinski assumed office. It involved a failure to ensure that the nursing-home environment was free of accident hazards and that residents received adequate supervision to prevent accidents. Federal records classified it as immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety, affecting a few residents.

Gracedale also had a serious finding in September 2025 involving resident assessment and care planning. Pennsylvania Department of Health's inspection records document the September 23, 2025 abbreviated survey and resulting deficiencies.

Inspection records also show a K-level staffing finding in May 2026 (5 months after Exec. Zrinski was in office), determining that Gracedale did not provide enough nursing staff every day to meet residents' needs and did not have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. That finding was classified as immediate jeopardy and resulted in a $21,756 fine. The Pennsylvania Department of Health's inspection database shows that a subsequent abbreviated survey completed August 10, 2026 found no deficient practice related to the particular complaint allegations investigated during that survey. 

Bethlehem South

Bethlehem South Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has accumulated 28 deficiencies in the current federal reporting record.

Its most significant recent finding came from a June 9, 2026 complaint inspection. Inspectors cited the facility at the J level, finding that it failed to protect residents from abuse and neglect. J means immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety. The facility also had two D-level deficiencies in an April 29, 2026 complaint inspection involving pressure-ulcer care and bowel and bladder care. The inspection resulted in a $27,378 fine. Pennsylvania's inspection records subsequently reported that the deficiencies cited in the June 30, 2026 survey had been corrected by the July 17 revisit.

Bethlehem North

Bethlehem North Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center also has a substantial number of deficiencies. A February 2026 standard inspection identified deficiencies involving such areas as nutrition, treatment and care, resident notification, activities of daily living, range of motion and infection control.

A May 2026 complaint investigation also produced an E-level deficiency involving the failure to timely report suspected abuse, neglect or theft.

The pattern illustrates why simply counting deficiencies can be misleading. A facility can accumulate a large number of D- or E-level findings without those findings reaching the immediate-jeopardy level.

Phoebe Allentown

Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center had 13 deficiencies, one of which was particularly serious. An August 19, 2025 complaint inspection produced a K-level infection-control deficiency. Inspectors found that the facility failed to provide and implement an effective infection-prevention and control program. The finding was classified as immediate jeopardy and involved some residents.

A July 2025 standard inspection produced three additional D-level deficiencies involving resident rights, range of motion/mobility and accident hazards or supervision. That inspection also resulted in an $11,087 fine.

Interestingly, Gracedale Administrator Michelle Morton came to NorCo from Phoebe. At last week's County Council meeting, Zrinski stated that she visited that home to pick up a few pointers. Why she'd visit a home with a K-level deficiency is beyond me. 

Cedarbrook

Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehabilitation has accumulated 16 deficiencies in the current federal record. This is Lehigh County's public home. The deficiencies are all minor involving resident rights, assessments, activities of daily living, resident care, accident hazards, dietary equipment, infection control and reporting of suspected abuse or neglect. They've all been corrected. 

Complete Care at Lehigh

Complete Care at Lehigh LLC has 12 deficiencies. They include deficiencies involving food handling and storage, pressure-ulcer care and pharmacy services. Most of its recent deficiencies were classified at the D level — meaning no actual harm was identified but there was potential for more than minimal harm.

Northampton Post Acute

Northampton Post Acute has 15 deficiencies. A May 2026 standard inspection identified four D-level deficiencies, including problems involving resident rights, care planning and accident hazards or supervision. Those deficiencies were documented as corrected during a June 2026 revisit.

Easton Skilled Nursing

Easton Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation has 20 deficiencies. They include repeated issues involving resident care and activities of daily living.

A December 2025 inspection produced nine health deficiencies, most at the D level.

An April 2026 complaint inspection also cited the facility for an infection-control deficiency.

The Gardens at Easton

The Gardens at Easton, including its memory-care operation, has had several deficiencies during the period examined, generally at the lower levels of the severity scale.

What the severity ratings mean

The federal nursing-home inspection system uses a scope-and-severity system that ranges from relatively minor deficiencies to immediate jeopardy.

D, E and F indicate no actual harm was found, although there was potential for more than minimal harm. G, H and I indicate actual harm that did not rise to immediate jeopardy. J, K and L represent immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.

Consequently, a nursing home with 20 D-level deficiencies should not automatically be considered more problematic than a facility with fewer deficiencies that includes a J- or K-level finding. The nature and seriousness of the deficiencies matter at least as much as the raw number.

What the records do show is that several nursing homes in Northampton and Lehigh counties have experienced recurring regulatory problems since 2024. Gracedale, Bethlehem South and Phoebe Allentown have each had recent deficiencies classified at the immediate-jeopardy level. 

The good news is that Gracedale is making strides to improve. Just last week, Northampton County Council voted to raise the wages for nurse supervisors to a level that is competitive and should attract professionals. Executive Tara Zrinski has stated this is only the beginning of changes to compensation. In six visits from the state Department of Health since May, no deficiencies have been found.  Gracedale Oversight Committee has been established, although it has yet to meet. 

NorCo Council Increases Salaries for 26 Gracedale Nursing Supervisors

At Thursday night's meeting, Northampton County Council voted 7-0 (Ken Kraft and Tom Giovanni were absent) to increase the salaries of 26 nursing supervisors at Gracedale. The wage increases will go to 9 full-time, 8 part-time and 9 per-diem nursing supervisors. This was recommended in an outside performance audit of Gracedale nursing home back in 2023 and was recommended repeatedly by Council members over the past two years to attract and retain the county workforce and reduce reliance on outside agency nurses. 

Unfortunately, the Council Clerk failed to attach supporting documents to the agenda and thus it is impossible to tell you the exact amount of these increases. The paygrade is set with room for these career service employees to get step increases as they go through annual reviews. According to Executive Tara Zrinski, the wage starts at about $52 an hour. She indicated that previous administrations have been reluctant to give step increases and noted that long-time employees would get the same pay as people who are recently hired.

Council member Jason Boulette noted that his reading of Career Service Regulations and the Employee Policy Manual led him to believe that every career service employee who gets a positive evaluation should get a step increase. "Listen, I just got here," said Zrinski. She noted she could only state the past history, and said the budget does limit what can be done.

Currently, only two of these positions are actually filled by county employees. The rest are vacant. 

Council member Dave Holland asked about other front-line nursing positions and was told that this is just the beginning of the salary review process.  

Zrinski Proposes Wage Hikes for 27 Nurse Supervisor Positions

Last night, Executive Tara Zrinski asked NorCo Council to approve wage hikes for 27 nurse supervisor positions at Gracedale. She described the proposal as part of an “Operation Stabilization Strategy" to restore stability, strengthen accountability, and secure the long-term future of Gracedale. She acknowledged that immediate action is required. 

In a recent visit, Zrinski spoke with several agency nurse supervisors who told her they would be willing to become Gracedale employees if only the county could offer competitive compensation.

The financial disparity is significant:

- Gracedale’s nurses are making approximately $34 per hour.
- The county is paying an agency approximately $31 per hour on top of the nurse’s compensation.
- The resulting cost to the county is approximately $91 per hour for an agency nurse.
- Zrinski said agency supervisors indicated they would consider becoming county employees if their compensation were increased by approximately 40 percent over what the county currently pays.

Her argument was that the county is already spending substantial amounts on agency personnel and could redirect some of that money toward better compensation for its own supervisory nurses. She believes a starting salary of $52 an hour is the "magic number" needed to attract and retain supervisory nurses who actually work for the county instead of an agency.

She is also planning revisions to the pay structure in her 2027 budget, including adding new steps and creating additional starting-salary opportunities.

The agency-supervision problem

Agency employees are currently supervising county employees. She has seen herself and has heard of supervisors on their phones while working, wearing Crocs and simply disregarding county policies because they were not county employees. She believes this upgrade in pay would both reduce reliance on agency nurses and make Gracedale safer and more accountable. 

Her point was that county-employed supervisors would have greater authority and accountability over Gracedale employees. Zrinski said having county RNs supervising county staff would therefore not only address the staffing issue but could also contribute to a safer and more accountable Gracedale.

Zrinski also addressed the District Attorney's Grand Jury report concerning Gracedale, which was released last week. She still tried to minimize the matter, noting it addressed deficiencies found in 2025. There have been 5 occasions this year in which Gracedale has been cited for patient assaults, an elopement and failure to provide care. 

She said the administration is taking the DA's findings seriously, while noting that the conduct described in the report occurred approximately a year earlier and had already been discussed with County Council on two previous occasions. But she acknowledged that the report has created an additional "sense of urgency." and said several times that the home is in "triage" mode. 

In particular, she said the report is affecting Gracedale's public reputation, referrals and overall ability to attract and retain residents and staff.

Zrinski emphasized that the county needs to act immediately rather than simply discuss the problems.

I agree and wonder why she has waited nearly a year to do so. 

Council member Dave Holland said that increasing nurses' pay made sense as a first step toward addressing the problems at Gracedale. Council member Jason Boulette added that the proposal could help address the longstanding issue of hiring experienced nurses at the lowest possible step.

While Gracedale Burns, What is NorCo Council Doing?

When a county-owned nursing home is run so poorly that it attracts the attention of an Investigating Grand Jury, it's time to pay attention. When the County Executive both minimizes the problems and actually tried to prevent the public from knowing what is going on, it's time to pay attention. While Gracedale burns, Executive Tara Zrinski has been fiddling with a long-range continuum of care concept, unmindful that unless current problems are fixed, there'll be no continuum at all. But what about County Council, who even Zrinski now agrees is the county's governing body? Last year's County Council raised numerous concerns. So did this year's County Council, which voted to establish a separate Gracedale oversight committee for the problem-plagued home on July 2. Since then?

Crickets. Sure, they voted to appoint a Continuum of Care Director, but there have been no Gracedale oversight committee meetings or reports about Gracedale itself. 

Why has nothing happened since then? Two words.

Ken Kraft. He is County Council President. 

When Council member Dave Holland, himself a former Gracedale Administrator, proposed a Gracedale oversight committee he received a lot of pushback from the usual suspects - Zrinski, Kraft and Council members Jeff Warren and Kelly Keegan. At first, they tried to table the matter. When that failed, Kraft argued that this new committee was "over-reaching our authority as a Council." When Keegan was told the committee would provide oversight, her response was "I don't understand. That's the administration's job." Jeff Warren agreed and said he had a "significant" problem with the word "oversight." So the administration is supposed to provide oversight over itself?

In the end the resolution creating this new oversight committee was adopted by a 6-3 vote. Even Warren voted for it in the end. 

Kraft, who tried to table this oversight committee and voted against it, has dragged his feet over the formation of this Gracedale watchdog, which has yet to meet. For a period of 10 weeks, the County Council website still fails to identify any members. But Zrinski let the cat out of the bag at her news conference last week. She said the committee, consisting of four members has been formed.

I've made some calls and have learned that the Gracedale Oversight Committee Chair is none other than Kelly Keegan, who voted against it. Kraft, who also voted No to the Committee, put himself on it. 

It's clear that Kraft and Keegan decided to disregard the will of a Council majority and just refuse to call a meeting. 

With the release of the Grand Jury report, they now will probably have to do something.

In my opinion, a Council President exists to preside over meetings.  He makes committee assignments as well, but there is nothing in the Home Rule Charter that gives him this authority. In this instance, he has clearly abused his authority and has defied the will of six members of County Council. County Council has the authority to reverse Kraft and appoint members who will provide real oversight of the beleagured home instead of the charade that Kraft has created.  

How Did PJ Craig Dally Handle Zrinski's Attempt to Keep Gracedale Grand Jury Report Away From You?

Last Thursday, NorCo District Attorney Steve Baratta released a 44-page Grand Jury Report (click on link to be able to read it for yourself) that found serious weakness in the way that Gracedale has cared for its nearly 500 residents, particularly when it comes to their physical safety. As a result of 14 deficiencies in 2025, the home's license has been downgraded from Regular to Provisional II. Immediately following this release, Executive Tara Zrinski attempted to minimize the issues presented during a defensive and evasive news conference in which she declined to answer a question whether the county has established any kind of protocol with Upper Nazareth police about emergency calls after an incident that occurred well over a year ago, when a mentally ill agency nurse assaulted a resident in the delusional belief she was possessed. Zrinski instead blamed everything on Gracedale's former Administrator even though most of these problems occurred after she had already resigned. Former Exec Lamont McClure played the same blame game in a response attached to the Grand Jury Report. In an over-the-top reply, he accused Baratta of trying to sabotage McClure's congressional hopes, although that election was over in May and the Report was only released in September. He also dismissed the 14 citations, for which the county was also assessed monetary penalties, as "isolated incidents."  What I did not know at the time of the release of this report or at Zrinski's news conference was that she actually tried to keep us from ever seeing it. She actually asked President Judge Craig Dally to seal it. He instead ordered that the matter be released in an Order and Statement of Reasons (linked here) that you can read yourself. 

In her attempt to suppress the report, Zrinski argued that grand juries have no authority to investigate non-criminal activity and only should look into crimes. The law says differently, according to Judge Dally. He notes state law specifically providing that an investigating grand jury can be convened to look into crime or to propose recommendations for legislative, executive, or administrative action in the public interest based upon stated findings." 

In short, her attempt to suppress the report is legally frivolous. It's also politically stupid. I think many people will actually be angrier at the attempt to suppress this report than they are by the report itself. It's an indication that she's listening to the wrong people. 

In fairness, Judge Dally did rule that some of the persons mentioned in the report, such as Zrinski and McClure, should be allowed to respond, and they did. The Court also agreed to redact the names of some residents. 

I got a late start for today's story. Tomorrow, I'll tell you what actions Northampton County Council has taken to provide oversight at Gracedale. 

Zrinski's Attempts to Minimize Grand Jury Report in Defensive and Evasive News Conference

Immediately after last week's release of a 44-page Grand Jury report calling for reforms at Gracedale, NorCo Executive Zrinski conducted her own high-noon news conference from inside the acoustically challenged rotunda of the courthouse. Her newly-appointed Continuum of Care Director and Gracedale's Administrator stood by her as she said the District Attorney's investigation should be met with "seriousness, transparency and resolve." While her resolve is beyond question, she has been far from transparent. She actually tried to have the report sealed (more about that later) so that the public would never see it. Moreover, instead of treating the probe with gravity, she minimized it and was both defensive and evasive when responding to questions. 

She started by tugging on heartstrings instead of facts. noting that Gracedale had cared for her mother and provided excellent care when Zrinski was a member of County Council. She has now told this story many times as a member of County Council and several times as Executive. I'm sure her mother did receive a high level of care because, after all, she was the mother of member of County Council. Funny thing, Gracedale's Administrator at that time was Jennifer Stewart, who has since been scapegoated for all the problems. In fact, right after praising Gracedale for looking after her mom, Zrinski said that many of its problem501c3 s came while Stewart was Administrator. 

Her solutions? She's issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a feasibility study on her "continuum of care" expansion. She's established a non-profit 501c3 to receive philanthropic support. She added that she would strengthen executive oversight with the hiring of a Continuum of Care Director whose background is therapeutic recreation and has no experience in nursing home administration.  

She also claimed to be improving communication and transparency. It must have been hard to talk about transparency with a straight face after her unsuccessful attempt to prevent the public from seeing the Grand Jury report. The improved communications have consisted mostly of feel-good stories about things like chair volleyball and a luau.   

When it came time for questions, WFMZ-TV69 had concerns about what steps were being taken to address how police should respond to 911 calls, which can be baseless when coming from residents with cognitive issues. This issue came to a head well over a year ago when 911 calls about an exorcist nurse were being ignored, both by police and even by Gracedale nurses. They claimed falsely to have checked on the matter but did nothing until after a third 911 call. 

A year later, Zrinski's response was "I don't believe I can address that right now." She then slammed Upper Nazareth police. "I'm sorry that answer could not be more clear, but it is ... um ... working with the Upper Nazareth police force has been somewhat challenging."

More than a year has passed since this incident, yet there still is no protocol on how to respond to 911 calls from a facility with 500 elderly and residents? 

While WFMZ-TV69 attempted to decipher exactly what Zrinski had just said, I had a question of my own. I pointed out that, in 2023, Medicare issued 3 minor deficiencies when Jennifer Stewart was at the helm. In 2024, there were just two. But in 2025, once Michelle Morton took the reins, there were 14 deficiency reports for serious shortcomings that extended well beyond a mentally ill nurse. They included residents who wandered off, poor security, physical assaults and failure to provide care that had been prescribed by doctors.

"Under these circumstances, how can you possibly justify keeping Michelle Morton as the Administrator of Gracedale, especially when her own testimony indicates that nurses like to eat their young?"

Zrinski: "I think you're assuming that everything in that report is accurate and true."

Me: "That is her testimony."

Zrinski: "I understand her testimony."

Me: "I understand that everything is true because those are the deficiency reports that are on the record. They're on record. Department of Health deficiency reports. Gracedale has paid significant fines as a result of these deficiency reports. There are 14 reports ...."

Zrinski: "I understand what you're saying, Mr. O'Hare, if you let me finish the question, I will respond to you. So there's an admissions process and there are individuals who are admitted years before [Morton] got there."

She went on to blame the McClure administration for increasing census. And she failed to acknowledge it, but the Grand Jury report shows that Morton was all about accepting new residents no matter how unsuitable they might be. Morton actually placed Jennifer Stewart, the Admissions Director, under a mandate to increase census, and even would override Stewart's admission denials. She slammed an "admissions director who let anybody in," which has been a common theme at Gracedale. Morton has managed to make the former Administrator, Jennifer Stewart, a scapegoat for her own admissions errors.  These errors were the result of a previous executive, Lamont McClure, who wanted quantity over quality.  Yet Zrinski insisted that Morton "has my confidence." 

Transparent Zrinski then went on to say she'd rather have questions from someone other than me. That's OK. But I was not done. 

Zrinski went on to slam DA Steve Baratta for bringing Gracedale "out in the public forum. ... This has been a public discussion in nearly every election cycle. Gracedale has been a political football. Sell it, save it. Sell it, save it, sell it, save it are always the priorities of candidates running. I want to take that out of the political sphere and make it more about care and treatment. It shouldn't be an open discussion that we're arguing about all the time. These are people's lives. These are people's jobs."

Me: "There are no county offices up this year. So where do you get the idea that this is some form of political football?"

Zrinski: "I said, in the history, it has been a political football. How many different rallies have you gone to or how many different discussions?"

Me: "Right now we're talking about what's going on at Gracedale, how we can improve it, what's wrong with it ...'

Zrinski: "Mr. O'Hare, I think you know better than anybody else that there are motivations that are political for anybody to put a report out about Gracedale."

Me: "So you are saying that DA Baratta had a political motive?"

Zrinski: "I'm not suggesting it. I'm saying it could possibly exist."

Me: "You're saying it could possibly exist?"

Zrinski: "Sure."

Me: "But it could also be that he genuinely desires to see Gracedale improve."

Zrinski: "He has no authority or experience to make recommendations for Gracedale."

Me: "You say he has no authority or experience. What is your background in administration.?"

Zrinski: "I am not making these recommendations. I am following the recommendations of other individuals who know how nursing homes run."

She was talking over me, but at that time I was pointing out that her newly appointed Continuum of Care Director and Administrator have backgrounds in therapeutic recreation.

Me: "Why did you speak against an oversight committee for Gracedale? When you're saying you want to be transparent, why would you oppose an oversight committee?"

Zrinski: "I'm not opposed to an oversight committee. What I was guarding was county council's overreach. When you create a continuum of care department, you're supposed to create a continuum of care committee. That should be the level of oversight. And it has four members on it."

Me: "Is County Council the governing body?"

Zrinski: "Yes."

Zrinski, who is used to bloviating at length, decided to cut the presser short. 

Tomorrow, I'll tell you how the court reacted to Zrinski's failed attempt to keep you from seeing the Grand Jury report.

Investigating Grand Jury Releases Report Raising Serious Resident Safety Concerns and Poor Leadership at Gracedale

Yesterday, NorCo A Steve Baratta released the results and recommendations of a 44-page Grand Jury Report* concerning resident safety issues at Gracedale, the county-run nursing home. The grand jury found serious weaknesses in the way that the long-term care facility has cared for its residents, and jurors felt the gravity of these problems warranted public attention and corrective action. No single person was blamed. The report instead points to a combination of questionable management, the use of outside agency nurses, failure to provide appropriate care, poor security and a lack of accountability. 19 Grand Jurors voted to file the report, with another three absent. 

Interestingly, Executive Tara Zrinski, who likes to call herself the very model of a modern major Executive, actually tried to have the report sealed or quashed without the public ever seeing a word. She failed. That's another story, and I'll fill you in on that next week. 

The genesis of this Grand Jury probe was a Gracedale agency nurse who on 6/23/25 was attempting to perform an exorcism on one of three residents who share a room. Multiple 911 calls had to be made over 30 minutes before Upper Nazareth Tp police responded. In the second call, a nursing supervisor told 911 she had already checked the situation, (Pges 13-14). In a third, a nursing supervisor told 911 she was going to "take [the complaining resident's] phone away or something." Police finally responded when a nursing supervisor herself personally witnessed an agency nurse who wouldn't let anyone in or out of the room. (Pge 14). When Officer Zach Dugan arrived on scene, he could see that the agency nurse, festooned in PPE gear, had her hand and fingers inside the resident's mouth. She indicated the resident had "demons inside of her" and they needed to come out, along with a considerable amount of blood.  

Baratta said that the victim of this attack was severely injured and never recovered. She died not long after the attack, but from unrelated causes.

The agency nurse has been charged with a litany of crimes, and that matter is still pending. 

After this incident, DA Baratta sought and was granted permission to conduct a Grand Jury investigation, which was headed by Deputy DA Bill Blake and Detective Brad Jones. Baratta himself questioned Gracedale Administrator Michelle Morton. 

At a news conference announcing the report, Baratta warned reporters to expect "some pushback." That's putting it mildly. Not only was Baratta accused of interfering with the Executive branch, but he's also been accused of having a political motive. "My response to this is, read the report," he said.  

I did. It's devastating. 

Deficiencies. - It consists of a factual documentation of 14 state Department of Health citations in 2025, all of which occurred under the tenure of Gracedale Administrator Michelle Moton. This is substantially more than 3 minor inspection deficiencies in 2023 and just 2 in 2024, when Gracedale was administered by Jennifer Stewart. (Pges. 5, 6-12).  

These reports chronicle assaults that extend beyond the exorcist nurse and include resident-on-resident violence resulting in injuries.  

They include elopements, which are runaways by residents who've been identified as incapable of caring for themselves. One of them involved a man who was gone for more than 24 hours and was located by Upper Nazareth Police sleeping outside a convenience store. Another involved a wheelchair bound double amputee who was tooling along the local roads with no place to go. There was even a fellow who left Gracedale to visit his girlfriend at Fox's Gentleman's club. He was found in Moore Tp. 

Some of these elopements were supposed to be under 1 to 1 supervision.

They include failure to provide the medication or rehabilitative care prescribed by doctors. One resident with partial paralysis missed 19 days of prescribed exercises. Medication carts have been left unsecured.

Read the report. 

Witnesses. - The Grand Jury report includes summaries of testimony elicited from witnesses, including the officers who responded to the exorcist. Officer Clinton Wambold, a former Deputy Sheriff, said that Gracedale staff made "little or no effort" to stop the exorcist when she was assaulting the Gracedale resident. He also noted that Gracedale staff disposed of or cleaned all the clothing or gowns involved in the assault, making it impossible for him to collect physical evidence. (Pge. 19). Officer Danielle Petrucci testified of one assault involving two residents. The aggressor was supposed to be under 1 on 1 supervision but was not. The victim of that assault suffered a cognitive and physical decline, is now bedridden and unable to interact with others.  (Pge 20). She also testified that members of the nursing staff were found sleeping at their desks while police were present. (Pge. 22).

Michelle Morton, Gracedale's Administrator, was examined by Baratta. Affinity Health Services prepared a county council funded report in 2023 that conducted an analysis of the problems at Gracedale, but she told council on November 6 that she had never read the report. She still had failed to read it when she was questioned by Baratta on 12/30/25. 

With respect to the deficiencies found under her watch in 2025, "Morton's response to the claims was that an inspection is only a moment in time and not a reflection that overall, things were poor. She appeared to minimize the documented infractions, as well as her role in the prevention of those matters. She also denied that staffing shortages contributed to the documented deficiencies."  (Pge. 27)  

Her plan for recruiting new employees? Staff development and training initiatives. And she likes committees. She certainly seemed to accept that nurses can bully each other, telling Baratta that "nurses eat their young." (Pge. 29)

Jennifer Stewart, Gracedale's former Administrator, worked at Gracedale from 2005 until she resigned in 2026. She started as a CNA and worked her way up until she was appointed Administrator in 2019. As she approached retirement age, she decided to step back into her former role as Director of Admissions so she could act as a mentor to her replacement. When she attempted to help Morton, she was rebuffed. (Pge. 37). 

Although she had never been reprimanded in any way during her tenure at Gracedale, that changed when Morton arrived. Instead of asking for help, Morton gave Stewart a "Program Improvement Plan" mandating her to increase census to 525-530. Morton instructed Stewart to admit everyone. "Morton also usurped Stewart's authority as Director of Admissions by reviewing, and in many cases, overriding admission denials in cases where Stewart believed that the resident was not an appropriate candidate for Gracedale." (Pge. 38). She felt she was being micromanaged and decided to resign and accepted a position as Administrator at a nursing home in Bethlehem. 

"Stewart is extremely knowledgeable in the field of nursing home administration, and it is clear that Gracedale benefitted from her knowledge and leadership. She believes that Gracedale was thriving under the management of Premiere Healthcare, although she feels it took a step back under the administration of ray Soto. Stewart strongly believes that the prior county administration failed the residents at Gracedale by canceling the partnership with Premiere Healthcare, by forcing an increase in census at the expense of patient safety, and by forcing reliance on outside nursing agencies. It is clear to the Grand Jury that Stewart truly cares for the wellbeing of the residents at Gracedale and served the county effectively when she was Gracedale's Administrator."

The Grand Jury recommends that (1) Gracedale move away from agency nursing to county-employed personnel; (2) revise policies concerning administration; (3) Beef up security; (4) create a liaison or ombudsman with specialized training in proper administration of a nursing home; (5) require supervisors to physically check each 911 call and document each matter; (6) establish in-house training for CNAs; and (7) establish a protocol with Upper Nazareth police concerning 911 calls.  

Baratta made clear that he is making no recommendation that Gracedale be sold. 

"However, we have to also remember that government is designed to provide services and services to the medically needy, vulnerable, elderly people that need assisted care, needs to be reliable and safe. They cannot provide for their own safety. They rely on us to provide that care. So, my hope is that these recommendations, and the publication of these issues, will further spur discussion and debate, in county government, and in the community, and that in the long run, we're going to be able to make Gracedale a safer, more productive personal care facility. And be successful into the future."

Right after Baratta had finished with us, we sauntered down the hall for yet another press conference being conducted by Executive Tara Zrinski, who had tried unsuccessfully to suppress the Grand Jury's report. So much for transparency.

I'll tell you about what she had to say on Monday in response to some tough questioning by your truly. You can also read her attempt to quash the Grand Jury report because it's attached to the report. You can also read former Executive Lamont McClure's bashing of just about everyone who isn't named Lamont McClure.  He calls the report a political hit job designed to ruin his congressional bid even though the report was not released until well after the primary in which he finished 3rd of 4. 

Finally, I'll fill you in on how the court handled Zrinski's attempt to suppress a Grand Jury report being released precisely to provide the transparency sorely needed at Gracedale.     

*) You can read the entire report on my Google Drive. I tried to upload the Grand Jury Report to Scribd, but that third party hosting site is currently inoperable. 

NorCo DA Baratta To Release Grand Jury Report About Gracedale

At 11 am, NorCo DA Steve Baratta will unveil the findings of a Grand Jury report about Gracedale. He had previously told County Council the report's focus would be "issues of patient safety that we were made aware of over the past year."  

The home has been the focus of some bizarre happenings, from an agency nurse who attempted to perform an exorcism on a resident, a substance-abusing resident who was pocketing pain pills and several residents who wondered off and are retuned by police. 

Gracedale is the only county-owned nursing home in the state with a Provisional II license. It also has been flagged by Medicare for abuse. 

On the bright side, the home has been deficiency-free in five DOH (Dep't of Health) visits to the home since May 14. (The home has been visited 14 times by DOH this year).  

Following Baratta's news conference, Executive Tara Zrinski will issue her own comments. She will include her newly appointed Continuum of Care Director, who himself acknowledged during the confirmation process that he has no training in nursing. 

Zrinski: Gracedale on Track to Have Regular License Restored in January 2027

At last night's meeting of Northampton County Council, Executive Tara Zrinski reported that Gracedale is on track to have its regular license restored by January 2027. She indicated that the state Department of Health visited the facility on July 30, her birthday, and found no deficiencies.

She specifically recognized the staff at T7 I also want to recognize the staff of T7 "for the difference they're making in residents' daily lives."

Referring to a laudatory email from a resident's family, she said that the home was complimented forthe attention given to personal grooming as well as staff encouragement to get out of bed and socialize. "People are noticing," she added.

She also speciafically recognized a Gracedale staffer who recently has been certified a professional by the American Association of Post Acute Care Nursing.

Staff Intervenes to Prevent Possible Suicide at Gracedale

 According to CrimeRadar, EMS was dispatched to Gracedale yesterday afternoon for a potential suicide. 

The audio transcript is as follow: "Be advised, we have EMS going to Gracedale. It's going to be room Bravo [redacted]. A 70-year-old female attempted to hang herself. She put a stocking around her neck. She's currently awake and breathing."

NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski was informed by Gracedale administrators that there was actually no attempted suicide because staff intervened after the resident tied stockings around her neck. The resident was taken to the hospital. 

It's very disturbing to hear of a potential suicide at a nursing home or the jail. But this is actually a positive report about Gracedale. Staff intervened before this woman could hurt herself.  It is actually a credit to the people who work there.

At the jail, there have been two suicides where corrections officers were less successful. But I know from speaking to them that they have stopped far more suicides. We only hear about it when there is a rare failure. 

Obviosly, this Gracedale incident will have to be investigated by the state Department of Health, and I'm unable to rule out potential violations. But to me, the important thing is that they prevented a death.

A Gracedale Resident Wanders - Is it an Elopement or a "Near Miss"?

When I hear the word "elope", I usually think that star-crossed lovers have run off against their parents' wishes. Butin nursing home jargon, elopement is a situation in which a resident leaves a care facility without staff knowledge or supervision, potentially placing himself in danger. It's been a problem at Gracedale. Since Michelle Morton became administrator in March 2025, the home has been cited by the state Department of Health four times for elopement. (9/19/25, 9/23/25, 10/2/25 and 5/14/26). Despite NorCo Executive Tara Zrinski's assurances to county council that all kinds of preventive measures have been put in place to prevent cognitively impaired residents from wondering off, it may have happened again over the weekend. 

I was first alerted to this based on an anonymous comment posted to this blog.* claiming there had been an elopement over the weekend. I nosed around, and this I am told that a confused resident attended a life enrichment activity with an activity aide. She apparently left and the activity aide assumed she got on an elevator with another activity aide. She instead went outside but returned with the family of another resident after telling them she was lost. She wasn't gone long, but she was gone. She apparently was still on the Gracedale campus. 

Zrinski denied that any elopements occurred over the weekend, adding no one was off campus. "There was a resident who left an activity with life enrichment and went outside to the smoking area and then around to the front of the building for a few minutes. It counts as a near miss and is not reportable."  She denied that the resident was brought back by the family of another resident, calling it a rumor. "She went out the side door and walked back to the front door, back inside.

According to state regulations, a nursing home must report the unexplained absence of any resident from a secured dementia care unit. Given that Gracedale is trying to upgrade its license, I could see why there'd be some reluctance to report this matter. But better safe than sorry. If it is a "near miss," as Zrinski said, let the state DOH make that determination. On the other hand, if there's a complaint and the DOH determines that it should have been notified, Gracedale is going to have a bigger problem.

____

* Many of you complain about the anonymous comments, which can be pretty mean. But I've actually seen much more hateful comments on other social media platforms in which the poster is identified. I allow anonymous comments because it sometimes clues me in to a story about which I would otherwise know nothing. 

Gracedale Improves Daily Nursing Care

Though Gracedale still has a Provisional II license, it is improving. According to the state's nursing home facility locator, the number of nursing hours per resident per day (PPD) has climbed to 3.76. That is higher than Lehigh County's Cedarbrook (3.61) or Berks County's Berkheim (3.68). It now ranks 5th among 14 county-owned nursing homes throughout the state. 

County-wide, this level is second only to Moravian Square (4.51). 

Who's On the Gracedale Oversight Committee?

At their July 2 meeting, Northampton County Council voted to establish a Gracedale Oversight Committee proposed by Council member Dave Holland. As of today, Council President Ken Kraft has yet to appoint any members. Kraft, who opposed this committee, appears to be dragging his feet. 

Under the Home Rule Charter, a council president has the authority to preside at meetings. As a matter of tradition, not law, he makes the committee assignments.  Should he persist in refusal to appoint committee members to provide oversight at a nursing home with a Provisional II license, County Council has the authority to do it themselves. 

Gracedale certainly needs oversight. According to McKinght's Long-Term Care News, occupancy at freestanding nursing homes is 86.7%, a 10-year high. (The Northeast, which includes Pa. and Gracedale, is at 89.5%). But the occupancy rate at Gracedale is an anemic 75%, as reported to County Council's July 2 Human Services meeting. 

Carson Confirmed as "Continuum of Care" Director in NorCo

By an 8-1 vote, Northampton County Council confirmed Thomas Carson as the Director of the newly created "Continuum of Care" department in NorCo. He will start in mid-August with a total compensation package of nearly $150,000, including benefits. 

He is currently the Executive Director of Victory House, a 35-bed facility in Bethlehem that primarily assists veterans. 

The sole Council member to vote No was Tom Giovanni, whose skepticism is understandable. Carson is arguably unqualified based on the job description approved by County Council, which I mentioned yesterday. He has zero experience managing a large program or facility. But he impressed Council member Dave Holland, who knows Gracedale, has a nursing background and is himself a former nursing home administrator. Holland appears to know Carson professionally and spoke highly of his passion for the underserved.

Carson himself was able to endure some tough and well-prepared questions from Council member Nadeem Qayyum. Though unable to answer them all, Carson was polite, well-spoken and never got defensive. He also expressed, not just a willingness, but a desire to reach out to members of County Council. 

Two weeks ago, Council President Ken Kraft predicted that County Council would shoot down this nomination, even though we had no name at the time. He was insinuating that the current County Council would be obstructionist. He was wrong, but don't be fooled by the 8-1 vote. This was really a very close call, but County Council deferred to the Executive.

Hopefully, she'll remember that. 

Victory House's Exec Director Nominated to Lead NorCo's Newly Created Continuum of Care

Thomas J Carson, currently the Executive Director at Victory House, has been nominated by Executive Tara Zrinski to lead Northampton County's newly created Continuum of Care Director at the newly created Continuum of Care Department. The position, which was just approved by County Council on June 18, has a starting salary of $109,632. With benefits, it amounts to $148,249. The position is "exempt," meaning that Carson will be serving at the pleasure of whomever is Executive. 

Victory House, which Carson has led for a little over four years, is considered a safe haven for homeless men, especially veterans. According to the 990 filed by that nonprofit for 2024, Carson's combined salary and benefits there was $102,442. So he's looking at a very nice pay raise if confirmed.

This nonprofit operates on an annual budget of about $1.8 million, with its financials posted on the website in a reassuring sign of transparency. The lion's share of its revenue coming in the form of payment for program services. which include transitional housing, Those run the gamut from transitional housing to recovery, mental health and employment assistance.

Carson has been employed there about 10 years. He has a bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation. 

In response to tough questioning from Council member Nadeem Qayyum, Carson conceded he has no experience or education in nursing, labor relations or as an Administrator. He said he would provide an open line of communication with front-line workers and "building a culture in which people can express their opinions ... ." He said he views a continuum of care as a big umbrella that can provide help to those who most need it. 

According to the job description approved by County Council, the Continuum of Care Director provides executive leadership for the development and integration of a comprehensive continuum that includes skilled nursing care, personal care services, behavioral health services, affordable housing, supportive housing, tiny home communities, and other innovative housing and service models. The Director will lead long-term planning, project development, intergovernmental coordination, and funding strategies to support sustainable growth and high-quality services for residents across the continuum." He must have a bachelor's degree in public administration, healthcare administration or a related field. He must have 7-10 years of senior or administrative experience in those areas and be experienced in managing large programs or facilities.

Council member Dave Holland told Carson that he was unperturbed by Carson's inexperience in nursing or nursing home administration, adding that is why there is a separate administrator. He said Carson does have experience "in everything that we want this continuum of care to be. "Most of it looks like veteran-related,  ... but that comes along with the other components we're looking at - the mental health, substance use developmental disabilities ... ."

Holland concluded with the observation that Carson has a passion for serving the underserved.

Carson agreed, saying that he works with the homeless, the mentally ill, the addicted, those with PTSD or just those who've fallen on hard times.

Carson told Council that he would like to work with them to make the continuum of care a success.

Council member Jason Boulette advised Carson that he will be able to do that with the newly created Gracedale Oversight Committee.

Northampton County Council will vote on Carson's appointment tonight. Unless a candidate has character issues or is unqualified, Council historically has deferred to the Executive on cabinet appointments. 

Zrinski Issues Apology Over "Friends of Gracedale" SNAFU

Blogger's Note: Yesterday, I told you that that Northampton County had instructed "Friends of Gracedale," a nonprofit organization that raises funds for the nursing home's residents, to "cease and desist". It had even been barred from conducting a fundraiser at the facility. This was based on the incorrect assumption that its "tax exempt" status had been revoked.  Last night, NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski issued an apology on her Substack page. Here is what she said:

To the residents of Northampton County, to the families who rely on Gracedale, and to the volunteers of Friends of Gracedale, I owe you that responsibility and an apology.

Since day one of this administration, we have been operating in what can only be described as crisis mode, drinking from the same hoses we are using to put out fires we did not start. From regulatory pressures at Gracedale, to staffing challenges, to uncertainty surrounding Medicaid reimbursements and state budget delays, not to mention the crisis emerging from Northampton County Jail and litigation I’m not even allowed to talk about, we have been forced to react to urgent, often daily issues while simultaneously trying to stabilize operations and set a long-term course. That is not an excuse—it is context.

I entered this role believing that with a strong team of seasoned professionals in both the Solicitor’s Office and county administration, we could hit the ground running. That belief was predicated by confidence, not arrogance, but also a little ambition. In hindsight, that ambition outpaced the reality of the challenges before us. Four years seems like a very short time to douse a thousand flames with a single hose.

Gracedale, as many in this community know, is both a point of pride and a constant test. It is, in many ways, the gift that keeps on giving—rewarding when we succeed, but unrelenting in the demands it places on us when we fall short.

When it was brought to my attention that Friends of Gracedale may not have had an active 501(c)(3) status, I took that concern seriously. Given the regulatory environment surrounding Gracedale, already operating under heightened scrutiny and a provisional 2 license, my immediate priority was to protect the integrity, reputation, and legal standing of the facility.

I did not independently verify that information. That is my fault. Instead, I relied on what was presented and trusted that it had been properly vetted before it reached my desk. The matter was referred to the Solicitor’s Office, and based on their recommendation, a cease-and-desist letter was prepared. There was an added sense of urgency due to a planned vacation by the Solicitor, and the letter was approved under the assumption that all necessary due diligence had been completed.

Compounding the situation, we believed the letter had been sent via certified mail on June 25. It had not been. When no response was received, we operated under the mistaken belief that Friends of Gracedale was either choosing not to engage or, worse, ignoring the letter. A Second Notice was sent out, prompting our favorite blogger to add fuel to an already smoldering flame with a leaked screenshot of the letter embedded in an accusation that this administration is both inept and motivated by a “hostile takeover” of Friends of Gracedale. Neither is wholly true, yet the blog relies on loaded phrasing and selective interpretation of events at Gracedale to support this dismissive narrative.

Nonetheless, I can admit that this series of missteps was a failure in process and, ultimately, a failure in leadership.

I am not willing to allow these missteps to hold the administration captive, though. Instead, I wish to acknowledge what happened, express my regret for the confusion, and resolve to repair any harm caused.

However, let me be clear: at no point was this administration motivated by retaliation or hostility toward Friends of Gracedale; quite the opposite. I, the administration and the Solicitor’s office, recognize and deeply value the compassion and generosity that volunteers bring to Gracedale’s residents. Their contributions enhance lives in meaningful ways.

At the same time, concerns had been raised internally about governance practices, financial recordkeeping, and the absence of formal legal guidance for the organization. In a highly regulated environment like a county-owned nursing facility, those concerns cannot be ignored. They must be addressed carefully, collaboratively, and correctly.

In this instance, we did not get that balance right.

It is accurate that my requests to merge Friends of Gracedale with the Gracedale Strategic Plan were denied. We attempted to encourage a partnership—one where a County-led development team could assist in structured fundraising while allowing volunteers to continue focusing on what they do best: supporting residents. That effort was met with understandable skepticism. Trust is not built through urgency or assumption; it is built through communication and transparency. On that front, we have work to do as well.

The fact is I remain fully committed to keeping Gracedale county-owned and fulfilling our moral obligation to the residents who call it home. That commitment was made publicly at the State of the County Address and will continue to guide every decision we make.

But progress is rarely linear. Too often, it feels like for every two steps forward, we take one step back. Admittedly, this was one of those moments where we have taken four or five steps backwards. We understand earning the public trust and the trust of Friends of Gracedale will require work, but; I also believe that honesty goes a long way to redemption.

As County Executive, I know that asking for forgiveness is not something the public expects. The expectation is steadiness, accuracy, and sound judgment at all times. I strive for that standard every day. But I am, and my staff is also human; when we fall short, we must acknowledge it plainly

I have chosen to do that here and now.

We will correct the record. We will improve our internal processes. We will work to rebuild trust with Friends of Gracedale and the broader community through our continued transparent communication.

At the end of the day, this is not about any one office, organization, or individual. It is about Gracedale and getting it right for the residents that call it home now and the community that relies on its future.

Gracedale Administrator Morton Is Both Defensive and Inaccurate in Report to NorCo Council

Last week, Northampton County Council was slated to receive an update on Gracedale from Himan Services Director Sue Wandalowki. Since the nursing home has been removed from her portfolio, I questioned why she, and not Administrator Michelle Morton, would be talking about the beleaguered nursing home.  Wandalowski apparently got the message and deferred at least temporarily to Morton until the subject of finances came up. That's when she interjected herself.  

Before I get to that, let's talk about what Morton herself had to say. 

The first thing Morton told County Council was that the state DOH had visited the facility that very day all F-tags had been lifted, including those for the latest elopement as well as a belligerent resident who is pocketing prescription drugs. These are issued for deficiencies in compliance with regulations that ensure resident safety. 

She then went on to say that though Gracedale will self-report deficiencies when they happen, there have been no substantiated complaints since began her job in March 2025. A review of DOH visits reveal, however, that complaints were, in fact, substantiated on 6/25/25, 10/17/25 and 5/14/26. 

She addressed the5/14/26 elopement in which a resident wandered away and had to be returned by police to a home that was unaware he was AWOL. 

"I want everyone to know that the elopement for which ...  a violation occurred [was] because a resident was taken off campus by another resident family member, who drove that resident to Easton and dropped the resident off. So that's certainly not something that I think anyone would have predicted or anticipated, that someone would take someone else's resident, not even their own family member off site."

Um, that's why you do periodic head counts. That apparently wasn't happening as it should have been.  Shouldn't a nursing home be doing this before people start wandering off?

She spoke about the agency nurse who documented that she had administered medications to the AWOL resident: " I do wanna point out what that particular nurse, that was, like, a one time individual.It wasn't a systemic problem of that people, you know, false documenting. It was one nurse who was documenting."

Isn't that why some agency clearinghouse was established so that these nursing journeymen are properly vetted before they are unleashed on unsuspecting residents? Morton noted that this nurse's license has been reported but failed to state whether any background check at all was performed. When pressed on the matter by Council member Jason Boulette, Morton replied, "I'm not gonna go in every detail of the plan of correction. It is available online if you would like to look it up."

She acknowledged that the census, which should be at 520 in order for the nursing home to break even, was down to 470. But in response to questions from Council member Dave Holland, she initially denied that the home is in the red. When he asked her about a financial report from Acting Discal Director Barnadon Dunstane showing that Gracedale was in the red after its first quarter, she at first denied it. "No, that is not true. We are not spending 100% of budget." Then she said that the home has a lot of "Medicaid pending" residents

That's when Wandalowski, who is supposed to no longer have any responsibility for Gracedale, came to Morton's rescue. She said that Gracedale has 9 residents receiving one-to-one care, 24/7. "That is a budget buster," said Wandalowski. She did acknowledge that the home is over budget.

"Friends of Gracedale" Has an Enemy - NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski

Friends of Gracedale is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organized to raise money "to enhance the quality of life and care to those in need at Gracedale." It exists for the residents, not the county. It was formed at the suggestion of former NorCo Council members Bob Werner and Scott Parsons, who actually discussed this with Northampton County Council back in 2017. It is used to purchase items for the residents, like Christmas gifts.

When it was first formed, its tax-exempt status was briefly revoked when it screwed up a tax return (known as a 990). The group is run by volunteers, some of whom are retired Gracedale workers. That revocation was lifted within a few months after the error was corrected, and all donations and gifts are tax exempt, including those made during the revocation.

You can see the IRS Determination here:

IRS Determination Friends of Gracedale by BernieOHare

No harm, no foul, right?

Not according to NorCo County. Solicitor Missy Rudas has sent not one, but two certified letters to Friends of Gracedale demanding that it stop raising funds and "cease and desist" from using Gracedale as part of its name.

Here's her latest missive:

In this letter, Rudas contends that her determination is based on a review of the IRS website.  Missy is not stupid, so I can only conclude that someone at Gracedale or in county administration misread the webpage and subsequently misinformed her.

In my own review of the IRS website, which took 5 minutes, the IRS determination that Friends of Gracedale (posted above) is clearly linked. So are the tax returns for years 2020-2024 (they are 990-N returns because the gross receipts are very small).

I was unaware that the NorCo Solicitor's office enforces the federal tax code. That would be news to the IRS. That office should have done its research a little better.

I suspect what really is going on here is a what amounts to a hostile takeover. Executive Tara Zriski has created a Continuum of Care department, and part of that department will be raising funds for what amounts to a massive Gracedale Village that will include housing, medical offices, assisted living, and a refurbished nursing home. 

That's fine, but that's a county project. Friends of Gracedale exists for the residents, not for county development. 

Over Zrinski's Objection, NorCo Council Approves Gracedale Oversight Committee

Despite a tongue-lashing from Executive Tara Zrinski that they were stepping on her toes, NorCo Council voted last night to establish a Gracedale Oversight Committee proposed by Council member Dave Holland and supported by fellow Council members Lori Vargo Heffner, Tom Giovanni, Jason Boulette, Theresa Fadem and even Jeff Warren. It was opposed by Council members Ken Kraft, Kelly Keegan and Nadeem Qayyum. Qayyum had argued in support of the committee, so I think he probably intended to vote Yes. 

Zrinski, who had just finished chiding Council over their refusal to go along with her choice of a Fiscal Director at the salary she wanted to pay, amazingly claimed that County Council has no authority to provide oversight of her administration and was crossing the line into actual administration. She argued that Council's sole role under the Home Rule Charter is to adopt legislation, enact a budget and confirm appointments. 

This is nonsense. 

Northampton County's Home Rule Charter specifically grants 13 specific powers to County Council, including the power to require periodic special reports, conduct investigations and even issue subpoenas. In short, it has oversight authority. The Home Rule Charter also clearly states that all residual powers of the county are vested in County Council.

In contrast, the Executive has no residual power. She does have administrative authority over day-to-day matters, but is specifically required to present information regarding the business and affairs of the county as Council might request. That is the whole point of County Council Committees. 

The problem with government, on all levels, is that the Executive branch has grown too strong. This is how we end up with statewide lockdowns or executive orders that bypass the legislature. There has been too little oversight. 

Zrinski's fear, as I understand her, is that County Council would be taking over the administration of Gracedale. Nothing in Holland's resolution (you can read it here), remotely suggests any such intent. It specifically states it is being formed because Council "has a unique duty of oversight to ensure that Gracedale residents are receiving medical, respite and rehabilitation care under the auspices of Northampton County in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations."

Something wrong with that?

When asked by Council member Kelly Keegan why this Committee was needed, Holland noted that Council has just established a new department for Gracedale, and it makes sense to have a standing committee for that department as it does for others. Without it, there would be no oversight of Gracedale at all. 

Kraft argued that Gracedale could be included as part of Human Services and accused Holland of "overreaching." But as Boulette pointed out, Human Services includes a wide array of different departments, from Aging to Children and Youth, and even Veterans Affairs. He noted that in a committee earlier that day, Gracedale was covered for just 15 minutes. He and Vargo Heffner both argued that Council does have the authority to provide oversight. "I see nothing wrong with the term 'oversight,' "said Vargo Heffner. "People could be uncomfortable with it, and I don't think it implies that anybody is going to be telling anybody else what to do." She added that every Council Committee is, in fact, an oversight committee. 

Fadem made the point that an oversight committee is necessary because Gracedale is "in crisis mode. They have a Provisional II license." 

Next week, I'll fill you in on the other matters considered by County Council last night during its regular and committee hearings. 

Happy 4th! 

NorCo Council to Consider Gracedale, Fiscal Director Salary and Senior Centers Tonight

Tonight, Northampton County Council will be discussing Gracedale, the Fiscal Director Salary and Senior Centers.

Gracedale - An Update is scheduled during the Human Services Committee, and it is supposed to come from Director Sue Wandalowski. Why? Just weeks ago, Gracedale was removed from her portfolio, so why is the mouthpiece? And she herself has stated in several of her defensive presentations that she's no expert. She is defensive and inaccurate when it comes to the nursing home. The person who should know what is going on is the Administrator, but she has only rarely spoken. 

When the full County Council meets, they will consider the establishment of a Gracedale Oversight Committee, which hopefully will be headed by Dave Holland, a former Administrator at both Gracedale and in Monroe County. 

That's overdue, especially after the latest visit from the Department of Health that included: (1) another resident (I think we're at four, but he's called Resident 1) who wandered off and who had to be brought back by police; (2) an agency LPN who documented having provided medications and performed tests on the resident while he was wandering the streets of Nazareth, a pretty neat trick; and (3) a biker resident (he's Resident 2) who never should have been admitted and was hoarding meds like oxycodone and bringing in booze and a knife. 

One of my readers, a "local healthcare expert," had this to say:

A friendly review from a local healthcare expert… resident 1 was not assessed properly and should have been on a locked unit based on the resident’s mental health status. There was poor or likely no communication between the aide, lpn and nursing supervisor. The lpns and nursing supervisors are very weak as demonstrated by the various severe deficiencies. Resident 2 should never have been admitted to Gracedale. It was obviously done to fill a bed. No plans were developed to manage the resident’s substance abuse disorder. He belongs in a rehab facility, not a nursing home. The bed is better left empty than admitting a trainwreck violent resident who Gracedale is likely not even able to bill for. I am sure he is there for free care. Dumb. Who wants grandpa living with a drug user biker with dangerous behaviors. And get rid of the smoking. Very few nursing homes allow it. It is a risk for a variety of reasons and takes staff away from care to supervise smoking. Lastly, I see that Gracedale is already partially under the direction of a nursing home management company - CHR. That nugget is in the last sentence of the plan of correction and should be communicated to the general public. The state directed them to use a state authorized company to train the staff as the state determined the home (really the county) is unable to do so. And by the way, the plan of correction is overly complicated and just not doable for any nursing home. So many steps in these processes that no nursing home could comply with. After the plan of correction is completed, run it through quality assurance committee to develop more simplified processes that are doable. Shrink the home down to 350-400 residents, get somebody in there like CHR or other qualified outsourced professionals to run the operation, and rebuild from the ground up. Crazy things can and do happen at every healthcare facility whether it be a hospital or nursing home. It is people taking care of people. You must have systems to deal with those situations. Gracedale has no systems. I hope the county officials read this for the benefit of the poor souls who live there.

Senior Centers. - The state recently cut $400,000 from the county's budget, which is used to fund senior centers. There might be more cuts if and when the state legislature adopts a budget. This will be discussed in the Human Services Committee. 

Fiscal Director. - Last week, the county lost out on a CPA with 30 years of accounting experience because they insisted on setting the pay at a much lower salary than the Executive wanted to provide. It's true that County Council. with some limitations, sets the salary. So Council will be asked to give the Executive authority to negotiate a salary with a proposed hire.