Virginia Law

The commissioner may impose administrative sanctions or initiate court proceedings, severally or jointly, when appropriate in order to ensure prompt correction of violations involving noncompliance with state law or regulation in assisted living facilities, adult day centers, and child welfare agencies as discovered through any inspection or investigation conducted by the Department of Social Services, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, or by state and local building or fire prevention officials. These administrative sanctions include:

1. Petitioning the court to appoint a receiver for any assisted living facility or adult day center;

2. Revoking or denying renewal of a license for any assisted living facility or adult day center that fails to comply with the limitations and standards set forth in its license for a violation that adversely affects, or is an immediate and substantial threat to, the health, safety, or welfare of residents, or for permitting, aiding, or abetting the commission of any illegal act in an adult care facility;

3. Revoking or denying renewal of a license for any child welfare agency that fails to comply with the limitations and standards set forth in its license;

4. Requiring an assisted living facility to contract with an individual licensed by the Board of Long-Term Care Administrators to administer, manage, or operate the facility on an interim basis if the commissioner receives information from any source indicating immediate and substantial risk of harm to residents. This action shall be an attempt to bring the facility into compliance with all relevant requirements of law, regulation, or any plan of correction approved by the commissioner. The contract shall be negotiated in accordance with the provisions of § 63.2-1709 of the Code of Virginia;

5. Issuing a notice of summary suspension of the license to operate an assisted living facility pursuant to proceedings set forth in § 63.2-1709 C of the Code of Virginia or pursuant to proceedings set forth in § 63.2-1710.1 of the Code of Virginia for assisted living facilities operated by agencies of the Commonwealth in conjunction with any proceedings for revocation, denial, or other action when conditions or practices exist that pose an immediate and substantial threat to the health, safety, and welfare of residents;

6. Issuing a notice of summary suspension of the license to operate a child welfare agency pursuant to proceedings set forth in § 63.2-1709.1 C of the Code of Virginia or pursuant to proceedings set forth in § 63.2-1710.1 for child welfare agencies operated by an agency of the Commonwealth in conjunction with any proceedings for revocation, denial, or other action, when conditions or practices exist in the child welfare agency that pose an immediate and substantial threat to the health, safety, and welfare of children receiving care; and

7. Imposing administrative sanctions through the issuance of a special order as provided in § 63.2-1709.2 of the Code of Virginia. These include:

a. Placing a licensee on probation upon finding that the licensee is substantially out of compliance with the terms of the license and that the health and safety of residents, participants, or children are at risk;

b. Reducing the licensed capacity or prohibiting new admissions when the commissioner has determined that the licensee cannot make necessary corrections to achieve compliance with the regulations except by a temporary restriction of its scope of service;

c. Mandating training for the licensee or licensee's employees, with any costs to be borne by the licensee, when the commissioner has determined that the lack of such training has led directly to violations of regulations;

d. Assessing civil penalties of not more than $500 per inspection upon finding that the licensee of an adult day center or child welfare agency is substantially out of compliance with the terms of its license and the health and safety of residents, participants, or children are at risk;

e. Assessing a civil penalty for each day an assisted living facility is or was out of compliance with the terms of its license and the health, safety, and welfare of residents are at risk. The aggregate amount of such civil penalties shall not exceed $10,000 in any 12-month period. Criteria for imposition of civil penalties and amounts, expressed in ranges, are developed by the board and are based upon the severity, pervasiveness, duration, and degree of risk to the health, safety, or welfare of residents. Such civil penalties shall be applied by the commissioner in a consistent manner;

f. Requiring licensees to contact parents, guardians, or other responsible persons in writing regarding health and safety violations; and

g. Preventing licensees who are substantially out of compliance with the licensure terms or in violation of the regulations from receiving public funds.