Virginia seeks 14 more home care inspectors
(The Center Square) – Virginia’s Health Department is seeking funding for 14 more inspectors as it faces a backlog of more than 2,000 overdue inspections of home care organizations. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission reported Monday that 2,123 of Virginia’s 2,334 active home care organizations, about 90%, were overdue for a routine inspection. State regulations require unannounced inspections at least every two years. Hal Greer, the commission’s staff director, called the Health Department’s regulation of in-home care “abysmally weak” and said it needed to be stronger. Budget amendments adopted in 2025 provided $853,098 from the state’s general fund for six positions and travel costs in fiscal 2026 to help the department meet that requirement, according to a legislative budget summary. The commission also found that assisted living cost nearly $7,000 a month on average in 2025. Researchers estimated Virginia would need an additional $15.8 million to $27.6 million a year for area agencies on aging to reach the 3,200 to 5,500 eligible older adults who need in-home care and aren’t getting it. The 2026 budget added $2.5 million a year in fiscal 2027 and 2028 for area agencies on aging to help cover in-home care, transportation, meals and
