Virginia Law

Article 5. Regulations and Interdepartmental Cooperation.

A. The Board shall have the authority to adopt and enforce regulations to carry out the provisions of this subtitle and to protect the health, safety, welfare, and individual rights of residents of assisted living facilities and to promote their highest level of functioning. Such regulations shall take into consideration cost constraints of smaller operations in complying with such regulations and shall provide a procedure whereby a licensee or applicant may request, and the Commissioner may grant, an allowable variance to a regulation pursuant to § 63.2-1703.

B. Regulations shall include standards for staff qualifications and training; facility design, functional design, and equipment; services to be provided to residents; administration of medicine; allowable medical conditions for which care can be provided; and medical procedures to be followed by staff, including provisions for physicians' services, restorative care, and specialized rehabilitative services. The Board shall adopt regulations on qualifications and training for employees of an assisted living facility in a direct care position. "Direct care position" means supervisors, assistants, aides, or other employees of a facility who assist residents in their daily living activities.

C. Regulations for a Medication Management Plan in a licensed assisted living facility shall be developed by the Board, in consultation with the Board of Nursing and the Board of Pharmacy. Such regulations shall (i) establish the elements to be contained within a Medication Management Plan, including a demonstrated understanding of the responsibilities associated with medication management by the facility; standard operating and record-keeping procedures; staff qualifications, training and supervision; documentation of daily medication administration; and internal monitoring of plan conformance by the facility; (ii) include a requirement that each assisted living facility shall establish and maintain a written Medication Management Plan that has been approved by the Department; and (iii) provide that a facility's failure to conform to any approved Medication Management Plan shall be subject to the sanctions set forth in § 63.2-1709 or 63.2-1709.2.

D. The Board shall amend 22VAC40-73-450 governing assisted living facility individualized service plans to require (i) that individualized service plans be reviewed and updated (a) at least once every 12 months or (b) sooner if modifications to the plan are needed due to a significant change, as defined in 22VAC40-73-10, in the resident's condition and (ii) that any deviation from the individualized service plan (a) be documented in writing or electronically, (b) include a description of the circumstances warranting deviation and the date such deviation will occur, (c) certify that notice of such deviation was provided to the resident or his legal representative, (d) be included in the resident's file, and (e) in the case of deviations that are made due to a significant change in the resident's condition, be signed by an authorized representative of the assisted living facility and the resident or his legal representative.

E. Regulations shall require all licensed assisted living facilities with six or more residents to be able to connect by July 1, 2007, to a temporary emergency electrical power source for the provision of electricity during an interruption of the normal electric power supply. The installation shall be in compliance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code.

F. Regulations for medical procedures in assisted living facilities shall be developed in consultation with the State Board of Health and adopted by the Board, and compliance with these regulations shall be determined by Department of Health or Department inspectors as provided by an interagency agreement between the Department and the Department of Health.

G. In developing regulations to determine the number of assisted living facilities for which an assisted living facility administrator may serve as administrator of record, the Board shall consider (i) the number of residents in each of the facilities, (ii) the travel time between each of the facilities, and (iii) the qualifications of the on-site manager under the supervision of the administrator of record.

H. Regulations shall require that each assisted living facility register with the Department of State Police to receive notice of the registration, reregistration, or verification of registration information of any person required to register with the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry pursuant to Chapter 9 (§ 9.1-900 et seq.) of Title 9.1 within the same or a contiguous zip code area in which the facility is located, pursuant to § 9.1-914.

I. Regulations shall require that each assisted living facility ascertain, prior to admission, whether a potential resident is required to register with the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry pursuant to Chapter 9 (§ 9.1-900 et seq.) of Title 9.1, if the facility anticipates the potential resident will have a length of stay greater than three days or in fact stays longer than three days.

J. During a declared public health emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat, regulations shall require each assisted living facility to establish a protocol to allow residents to receive visits from a rabbi, priest, minister, or clergy of any religious denomination or sect consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and subject to compliance with any executive order, order of public health, Department guidance, or any other applicable federal or state guidance having the effect of limiting visitation. Such protocol may restrict the frequency and duration of visits and may require visits to be conducted virtually using interactive audio or video technology. Any such protocol may require the person visiting a resident pursuant to this subsection to comply with all reasonable requirements of the assisted living facility adopted to protect the health and safety of the person, residents, and staff of the assisted living facility.

Code 1950, § 63-223; 1954, c. 259; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-174; 1973, c. 227; 1991, c. 532; 1993, cc. 957, 993; 1995, c. 649; 1997, c. 397; 2000, cc. 804, 808, 845; 2001, c. 161; 2002, c. 747; 2004, c. 673; 2005, cc. 610, 924; 2007, cc. 119, 164; 2020, cc. 829, 938; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 525.

A. The Board shall have the authority to adopt and enforce regulations to carry out the provisions of this subtitle and to protect the health, safety, welfare, and individual rights of participants of adult day centers and to promote their highest level of functioning.

B. Regulations shall include standards for care and services to be provided to participants; administration of medication; staffing; staff qualifications and training; and facility design, construction, and equipment.

1992, c. 356, § 63.1-194.2; 2002, c. 747; 2024, cc. 37, 150.

A. The Board shall adopt regulations for the activities, services, and facilities to be employed by persons and agencies required to be licensed under this subtitle, which shall be designed to ensure that such activities, services, and facilities are conducive to the welfare of the children under the custody or control of such persons or agencies.

B. Such regulations shall be developed in consultation with representatives of the affected entities and shall include, but need not be limited to, matters relating to the sex, age, and number of children and other persons to be maintained, cared for, or placed out, as the case may be, and to the buildings and premises to be used, and reasonable standards for the activities, services, and facilities to be employed. Such limitations and standards shall be specified in each license and renewal thereof. Such regulations shall not require the adoption of a specific teaching approach or doctrine or require the membership, affiliation, or accreditation services of any single private accreditation or certification agency.

C. All home studies of prospective adoptive parents by local boards or child-placing agencies licensed for adoption services shall be conducted in accordance with the Mutual Family Assessment home study template and any addenda thereto developed by the Department. Such home studies, including all related approval documentation other than background checks, conducted pursuant to this section, whether by a local board or a licensed child-placing agency, shall be transferable between all localities, local boards, and licensed child-placing agencies within the Commonwealth at the request of the prospective adoptive parent, subject to any time limitations or other requirements imposed by law or regulation.

Code 1950, § 63-239; 1968, cc. 578, 585, § 63.1-202; 1970, c. 721; 1987, c. 698; 1993, cc. 730, 742; 1998, c. 237; 2002, cc. 298, 747; 2011, c. 139; 2012, cc. 803, 835; 2013, c. 416; 2018, c. 11; 2019, c. 604; 2020, cc. 860, 861; 2023, c. 340.

Repealed by Acts 2012, cc. 803 and 835, cl. 76.

The Department is authorized to enter into interagency agreements with other state agencies to develop and implement regulations. Any state agency identified by the Department as appropriate to include in an interagency agreement shall participate in the development and implementation of the agreement. The Department shall assist and cooperate with other state departments in fulfilling their respective inspection responsibilities and in coordinating the regulations involving inspections. The Board may adopt regulations allowing the Department to so assist and cooperate with other state departments.

1991, c. 532, § 63.1-178.1; 1993, cc. 957, 993; 2002, c. 747.

A. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subtitle, the Department shall cooperate with other state departments in fulfilling their respective licensing and certification responsibilities of children's residential facilities. The Board shall adopt regulations establishing the Department as the single licensing agency for the regulation of children's residential facilities, including group homes, which provide social services programs, with the exception of educational programs licensed by the Department of Education and facilities regulated by the Department of Juvenile Justice. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, licenses issued to children's residential facilities may be issued for periods of up to 36 successive months.

B. The Board's regulations for the regulation of children's residential facilities shall address the services required to be provided in such facilities as it may deem appropriate to ensure the health and safety of the children. In addition, the Board's regulations shall include, but shall not be limited to (i) specifications for the structure and accommodations of such facilities according to the needs of the children; (ii) rules concerning allowable activities, local government- and facility-imposed curfews, and study, recreational, and bedtime hours; and (iii) a requirement that each facility have a community liaison who shall be responsible for facilitating cooperative relationships with the neighbors, the school system, local law enforcement, local government officials, and the community at large.

C. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, any facility licensed by the Commissioner as a child-caring institution as of January 1, 1987, and that receives no public funds shall be licensed under minimum standards for licensed child-caring institutions as adopted by the Board and in effect on January 1, 1987. Effective January 1, 1987, all children's residential facilities shall be licensed under the regulations for children's residential facilities.

D. In addition to the requirements set forth in subsection B, the Board's regulations shall require, as a condition of initial licensure or, if appropriate, license renewal, that the applicant shall (i) be personally interviewed by Department personnel to determine the qualifications of the owner or operator before granting an initial license; (ii) provide evidence of having relevant prior experience before any initial license is granted; (iii) provide, as a condition of initial license or renewal licensure, evidence of staff participation in training on appropriate siting of the residential facilities for children, good neighbor policies, community relations, and shaken baby syndrome and its effects; and (iv) be required to screen residents prior to admission to exclude individuals with behavioral issues, such as histories of violence, that cannot be managed in the relevant residential facility.

E. In addition, the Department shall:

1. Notify relevant local governments and placing and funding agencies, including the Office of Children's Services, of multiple health and safety or human rights violations in residential facilities for which the Department serves as lead licensure agency when such violations result in the lowering of the licensure status of the facility to provisional;

2. Post on the Department's website information concerning the application for initial licensure of or renewal, denial, or provisional licensure of any residential facility for children located in the locality;

3. Require all licensees to self-report lawsuits against or settlements with residential facility operators relating to the health and safety or human rights of residents and any criminal charges that may have been made relating to the health and safety or human rights of residents;

4. Require proof of contractual agreements or staff expertise to provide educational services, counseling services, psychological services, medical services, or any other services needed to serve the residents in accordance with the facility's operational plan;

5. Disseminate to local governments, or post on the Department's website, an accurate (updated weekly or monthly as necessary) list of licensed and operating group homes and other residential facilities for children by locality with information on services and identification of the lead licensure agency; and

6. Modify the term of the license at any time during the term of the license based on a change in compliance.

1979, c. 218, § 63.1-196.4; 1984, c. 55; 1987, c. 578; 1992, c. 666; 2002, c. 747; 2005, cc. 358, 471; 2006, cc. 168, 781; 2008, c. 873; 2010, c. 551; 2015, c. 366; 2018, c. 274; 2019, c. 449.

Repealed effective July 1, 2021, by Acts 2020, cc. 860 and 861, cl. 2, as amended by Acts 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 446, cl. 2.