Virginia Department of Health offices in Richmond. Parker Michels-Boyce for The Virginia Mercury
After a recent audit report indicated a $33 million deficit and $4 million in fraudulent spending within the Office of Emergency Medical Services — a part of Virginia’s Department of Health — a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission report presented to state lawmakers on Thursday highlighted other issues plaguing the state health department, and pitched some possible solutions.
Besides the financial management issues within the department, the report pinpointed a lack of sufficient and well-trained staff, and suggested that legislative intervention can help the agency get back on track.
State emergency department audit finds $33 million deficit, $4 million embezzlement
JLARC, which conducted the study the report is based on, and VDH commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton attributed some of the departments’ issues to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020 and 2021, before Shelton joined VDH, the department had to place much of its focus on the state’s response to the global pandemic. Additional contractor staff were brought on board to help with things like contact tracing and vaccine rollout.