Today we're hosting our Friday afternoon member call on COVID-19 at 3:30 pm. You can register for the series to receive a confirmation email with today's call-in information along with calendar notices for future calls. 

In addtion to discussing the latest COVID-19 topics, we will also be updating you on the nursing facility staffing mandate bills being considered by the General Assembly. We need your help contacting legislators about these--see the links below to quickly send messages to them.

We look forward to talking with everyone at 3:30 pm.

Sincerely,

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting, including calendar notices for future calls.

Zoom has a chat feature you can use to send questions or comments.

Sen. Jennifer Kiggans (R-Virginia Beach) has introduced a bill, SB 1149, to mandate staffing ratios in nursing homes, along with additional training requirements, and background checks. Please contact members of the Senate Education and Health Committee’s health subcommittee to explain that a staffing mandate is unfeasible before the bill is heard on Tuesday, January 26.

After you send your messages to the health subcommitee, please share this link with others: https://p2a.co/Ul0qg7h

Del. Vivian Watts (D-Annadale) has introduced HB 2156, which would require the Board of Health to develop regulations establishing staffing and care standards in nursing homes to require a minimum number of hours of direct care services to each resident per 24-hour period in which minimums increase from 3.5 hours to 4.1 hours. The hourly ratios would take effect on July 1, 2022 and increase incrementally through 2030.

After you send your messages to the HHR subcommittee, please share this link with others: https://p2a.co/YScURK6

Note: If you sent a message on HB 2156 on Wednesday or Thursday morning, it went to members of the HWI Committee. You can send a second round of messages as the target list of legislators has been updated to the subcommittee.