Categorized | Business

Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home names liaison officer

Special to Hawaii 24/7 by Elena Cabatu | Hilo Medical Center Community Relations Manager

Hawaii’s first state veterans home welcomes Juan Babiak as the liaison officer for the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home.

Babiak brings more than 19 years of management experience working in the Veterans Affairs system in Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Georgia.

Juan Babiak

Most recently, Babiak served as the Administrative Officer for Geriatrics, Rehabilitation and Extended Care at the Pacific Island Veterans Affairs Health Care System. He was responsible for managing administrative facets including workload, budget and supply management, contract compliance, human resource management, staff credentialing and privileging, and facility safety training and reviews.

As liaison officer at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, Babiak will work with Avalon Health Care Inc. and its staff to provide the best possible care for residents in a manner that promotes maintenance or enhancement of each resident’s quality of life.

Babiak also will ensure the state veterans home is in compliance with federal and state regulations and in compliance with State Home Inspection and Survey report requirements.

His role also includes easing efforts to transfer patients from Hilo Medical Center and other transferring agencies throughout the state into the state veterans home. He will also manage relations with Veterans Affairs, state organizations, veterans and their families.

“It is a great honor to be back in Hawaii and help care for our state’s veterans. I have enjoyed meeting with the residents and observing staff provide care with aloha,” Babiak said.

“The liaison officer is an important and critical part of the overall operations of the YOSVH,” said John Johnson, Administrator at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. “I believe Juan will be an excellent asset to HMC and YOSVH and help us achieve our goals of providing quality care to our veterans. Juan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the position and I believe he will be an outstanding veteran advocate.”

Yukio Okutsu, recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on Mt. Belvedere, Italy in 1945. While his platoon was halted by the crossfire of three machine guns, he single-handedly destroyed or caused to withdraw more than a dozen entrenched enemy while exposing himself to heavy enemy fire. In 2003, Okutsu died at age 81, three years after receiving the Medal of Honor, and was buried in East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2.

The Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home – Hilo is a 95-bed long-term care facility employing more that 120 full and part time staff. The home celebrated its grand opening Nov. 17, 2007; with 700 guests and dignitaries in attendance. It welcomed its first patient Dec. 1, 2007.

For more information, call Babiak at (808) 961-1502 or visit www.svh.hhsc.org

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