The Virginia Department of Health is mismanaging its money while facing staffing shortages so severe that it’s failing to provide timely oversight of nursing homes, per a report released last week .
Why it matters: The state watchdog, known as JLARC, flagged some of these issues to the General Assembly 20 years ago and stated that not fixing them could affect VDH’s ability to provide public health services.
- That includes immunizations, reducing suicide rates, responding to drug overdoses and more.
Catch up quick: Legislators gave VDH renewed focus this past year after the agency’s Office of Emergency Medical Services was caught up in an embezzling scandal and failed to make $33 million in required payments.
- The JLARC report re-upped those overspending concerns, honed in on the staff turnover and found that 40% of Virginia’s nursing homes hadn’t been inspected in the last two years.
- Gov. Youngkin’s spokesperson Christian Martinez said the administration inherited ” significant, longstanding, and very troubling ” issues at VDH, which the agency is working to address.
- One lawmaker called the report “shocking and disturbing,” per the Virginia Mercury.