Virginia

Residential assisted living licensing rules and official state resources

Licensure term: Assisted Living Facilities
Resident capacity: 12 max
Staff ratios: No minimum ratios, unless you are taking on residents with serious cognitive impairments. (follow the link listed under Memory Care requirements below)
Cost of licensing: 14.0
Bedroom square footage: At least 100 square feet for single occupancy resident bedrooms.
Memory care: Staff Training:

Full requirements

Regulatory Agency: Virginia Department of Social Services - Division of Licensing Services
Contact Phone Number: 1-800-543-7545
Licensure Term(s): Assisted Living Facilities
Census Requirements: 12 max
Qualifications for Managers: Administrators must attend at least 20 hours of annual training related either to resident-specific needs or to the management and operation of a residential facility for adults. When adults with mental impairments reside in the facility, at least 5 hours of training must focus on their needs.
Qualifications for Caregivers: Direct care staff in facilities licensed for both residential living and assisted living levels of care must complete at least 16 hours of training annually in addition to first-aid and CPR training and medication aide training. If any residents have mental impairments, 4 of the 16 hours of training must be devoted to care of individuals with mental impairments. Direct care workers who are licensed health care professionals or certified nurse aides may complete 12 hours of training annually. All direct care staff who care for residents who meet the criteria for assisted living care must have satisfactorily completed an approved training program prior to employment, or within 30 days of employment they must enroll in and successfully complete the program within 2 months of employment. Licensed health care professionals are exempt from this training requirement. Examples of approved training programs are: A Virginia Board of Nursing-approved educational curriculum from a Virginia Board of Nursing accredited institution--or a Department-approved educational curriculum for nursing assistants, geriatric assistants, or home health aides. A personal care aide training program approved by the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services.
Qualifications for Caregivers (continued): The Department-approved 40-hour direct care staff training provided by a licensed healthcare professional. Staff who serve residents who are--or may be--aggressive or need restraints must receive additional training that covers self-protection, and the prevention and de-escalation of aggressive behavior. Training to serve residents who are restrained must cover proper techniques for applying and monitoring restraints; skin care and active assisted range of motion exercises; assessment of blood circulation; turning and positioning; provision of sufficient bed clothing and covering to maintain body temperature; provision of additional attention to meet the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of restrained residents; and awareness of possible risks, and methods of reducing or eliminating such risks.
Staff Ratios: No minimum ratios, unless you are taking on residents with serious cognitive impairments. (follow the link listed under Memory Care requirements below)
Cost of Licensing: 14.0
Square Footage Requirements: At least 100 square feet for single occupancy resident bedrooms. At least 80 square feet per/resident in shared bedrooms.
Bathrooms Required: One toilet and sink for every four (4) people including residents and live in staff. One bathtub for every seven (7) people