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PHOENIX — The federal Department of Veterans Affairs has lifted referral restrictions placed on the state veterans home in the wake of shortcomings of care reported earlier this year at the facility in Phoenix, the home's parent department announced Wednesday.

The action by officials of the federal agency's medical center in Phoenix means the state home is in compliance with federal and state standards and can again admit new patients, the state Department of Veterans' Services said.

A letter sent by federal officials to a home official commended the staff for "diligence and hard work" in resolving problems found by state and federal inspection teams during separate visits to the 200-bed home earlier this year.

The announcement came one month after state Department of Health Services regulators announced that the home passed a re-inspection after a February survey found shortcomings that put residents in jeopardy.

The re-inspection found the facility in compliance with federal standards, according to DHS.

The original survey conducted by DHS in February on behalf of federal Medicare officials found problems in such areas as patient care, monitoring of smoking and lack of response to call buttons.

The former director, Patrick Chorpenning, later said the problems were overblown.

The home gets its operating budget from fees paid by various government programs and individual veterans. Lawmakers and Napolitano are moving to include an appropriation for the home in the next state budget.