By: Maria-Paula
Virginia Speaker of the House Don Scott and Del. Mark Sickles, chair of the House Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee, recently issued a joint statement criticizing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration for reportedly failing to utilize millions of dollars in federal funds intended to strengthen nursing home oversight in Virginia.
The lawmakers said the Youngkin administration’s inaction has jeopardized the health and safety of vulnerable residents of the commonwealth in long-term care facilities. Most of the facilities rely on consistent inspections and regulatory enforcement to ensure quality care.
Youngkin’s State Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton has blamed a lack of federal funding for the administration’s failure to conduct nursing home oversight. This exposed the administration’s failure to use the very federal funds available to address the backlog of inspections, complaints, and chronic understaffing.
“Virginia families deserve to know that their loved ones are safe and properly cared for. Governor Youngkin’s failure to use these federal funds is a dereliction of responsibility and a disservice to our seniors and their families,” said Scott.
In emphasis, Sickles said that the federal funds were specifically allocated to help states bolster inspection capacity and improve conditions in nursing homes following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These resources were meant to prevent the kinds of tragic lapses we saw in past years, and it’s unacceptable that Virginia left this money on the table,” added Sickles.
Scott and Sickles, released the following statement in response to a CBS 6report revealing that the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) failed to use millions of federal dollars intended for nursing home oversight – even as inspections fell drastically behind schedule and consumer complaints increased.
“Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine fought to secure federal funding to improve nursing home oversight and ensure better care for our seniors. Governor Youngkin’s mismanagement and lack of urgency in addressing this ongoing crisis is unacceptable. Why did it take nearly three and a half years for this administration to realize there was a serious problem in our nursing homes? For years, Virginians have seen reports of unsafe conditions, poor quality of care, and delayed investigations – yet this administration has done little to fix it and has been quick to blame others. The buck stops with him.
Failing to use available federal funds to strengthen oversight is another stain on the administration’s record and is not just irresponsible – it’s a betrayal of the families who trust the Commonwealth to protect their loved ones. While VDH has faced challenges for a long time, this administration needs to stop bragging about all the ‘progress’ they’ve made and do what they can to use all resources at their disposal, including federal dollars, to turn this mess around.
We should be providing the best care to our seniors – the people who spent their lives taking care of us. This failure of oversight has real human consequences, and it’s time for accountability.”
Both Speaker Scott and Del. Sickles called for immediate action to redirect or reapply the unused funds as they emphasised that oversight of nursing homes remains a critical issue amid staffing shortages and rising care costs.
In response Gov. Youngkin emphasised commitment to the people of Virginia, promising that before his term ends, Virginia will significantly improve the oversight and accountability of its nursing homes. The Gov. Pledged to ensure that no federal dollar intended for resident protection is left unused.
Despite quality outcomes proving problematic Youngkins office in defence to withholding some funding has pointed out that nursing facilities have already received significant boosts in funding via the Value-Based Purchasing Program.
Following Executive Order 52 in August 2025 meant to “strengthen oversight of Virginia’s nursing homes,” the governor through the order issued directions to the Department of Health to expand workforce capacity, modernize operations, and enhance transparency.
The administration, in defence, emphasized that some unspent federal funds were returned due to “accounting adjustments” tied to lower payroll and supplies costs rather than a refusal to use funds.
These recent revelations come after a 2023 federal performance review by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) found that Virginia failed to initiate investigations into the most serious complaints within the required three-day window. Currently, seven out of ten nursing homes in Virginia are overdue for inspection, ranking the Commonwealth as the third worst in the nation for overdue nursing home inspections.
