Virginia Enhances Nursing Home Oversight for Improved Care Standards

Virginia officials are highlighting significant strides in enhancing oversight of the state’s 300 nursing homes. This initiative includes filling key leadership and inspector roles, as well as improving the handling of complaints.

“Virginia families deserve confidence that when a loved one lives in a nursing home, they are safe, respected, and cared for with dignity,” stated Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Today we celebrate real progress. We have strengthened staffing, modernized outdated systems, and increased transparency, allowing families to access clearer information and fostering greater trust in oversight and accountability.”

This week, Youngkin hosted a public event to acknowledge the advancements made at the Office of Licensure and Certification (OLC) within the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). This progress is a direct result of Executive Order 52 signed by him in August.

Key improvements include targeted recruitment, stabilization of leadership roles, and enhanced human resources infrastructure, which have “significantly strengthened oversight capacity” within OLC. Notable leadership positions have been filled, including a new OLC director and a long-term care division director, along with increased recruiter capacity and dedicated human resources leadership. Additionally, OLC has opened a regional office in Northern Virginia.

Hiring timelines have notably improved, with the average time to fill positions dropping from over 90 days in 2023–2024 to just 58 days currently. This has also led to better retention and workforce stability. Between July and December 2025, 21 medical facility inspector (MFI) positions were filled, comprising 15 in long-term care and six in acute care. Overall, MFI vacancies decreased from 28 in July 2025 to 11 by December 2025.

The state has also introduced a Complaint Portal designed to track complaints from residents, families, staff, and advocates. This portal facilitates data analysis to identify trends and maintains various reporting options, including phone, mail, and in-person submissions.

VDH has also added a link on the OLC website that directs the public to federal nursing home quality data, encompassing inspection histories, survey results, and facility performance metrics.

“As we rebuilt this office, we focused on fixing the systems and hiring the right leaders and staff to prioritize how concerns are identified and resolved,” remarked R. Christopher Lindsay, chief operating officer of VDH. “By strengthening staffing and supervision, and modernizing complaint intake, we have built a foundation to ensure that safe and high-quality care is provided in Virginia’s nursing homes.”

Photo: Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks at an event in Richmond on nursing home oversight improvements.

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Virginia

Virginia officials are highlighting significant strides in enhancing oversight of the state’s 300 nursing homes. This initiative includes filling key leadership and inspector roles, as well as improving the handling of complaints.

“Virginia families deserve confidence that when a loved one lives in a nursing home, they are safe, respected, and cared for with dignity,” stated Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Today we celebrate real progress. We have strengthened staffing, modernized outdated systems, and increased transparency, allowing families to access clearer information and fostering greater trust in oversight and accountability.”

This week, Youngkin hosted a public event to acknowledge the advancements made at the Office of Licensure and Certification (OLC) within the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). This progress is a direct result of Executive Order 52 signed by him in August.

Key improvements include targeted recruitment, stabilization of leadership roles, and enhanced human resources infrastructure, which have “significantly strengthened oversight capacity” within OLC. Notable leadership positions have been filled, including a new OLC director and a long-term care division director, along with increased recruiter capacity and dedicated human resources leadership. Additionally, OLC has opened a regional office in Northern Virginia.

Hiring timelines have notably improved, with the average time to fill positions dropping from over 90 days in 2023–2024 to just 58 days currently. This has also led to better retention and workforce stability. Between July and December 2025, 21 medical facility inspector (MFI) positions were filled, comprising 15 in long-term care and six in acute care. Overall, MFI vacancies decreased from 28 in July 2025 to 11 by December 2025.

The state has also introduced a Complaint Portal designed to track complaints from residents, families, staff, and advocates. This portal facilitates data analysis to identify trends and maintains various reporting options, including phone, mail, and in-person submissions.

VDH has also added a link on the OLC website that directs the public to federal nursing home quality data, encompassing inspection histories, survey results, and facility performance metrics.

“As we rebuilt this office, we focused on fixing the systems and hiring the right leaders and staff to prioritize how concerns are identified and resolved,” remarked R. Christopher Lindsay, chief operating officer of VDH. “By strengthening staffing and supervision, and modernizing complaint intake, we have built a foundation to ensure that safe and high-quality care is provided in Virginia’s nursing homes.”

Photo: Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks at an event in Richmond on nursing home oversight improvements.

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Virginia