Virginia's Ombudsman Program, and the Two-Agency Records Split Northern Virginia Families Trip Over

The Virginia Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman ((804) 565-1600 for the state office) oversees built on a network of regional and local programs - Northern Virginia's coverage for Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax is assigned to a specific regional ombudsman, which the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) can point you to by ZIP code. For a facility in Arlington, Alexandria, or Fairfax, the state office can route you to the correct regional program, or you can search the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) directory online for the ombudsman assigned to your ZIP code.

The split that trips people up

Virginia is the one jurisdiction in this metro that splits licensing by level of care: VDSS runs the assisted living facility search tool, while VDH holds nursing facility inspection records separately. Confirm which kind of license you're looking for before you search. Concretely: if you're evaluating an Assisted Living Facility, your license and inspection records come from VDSS's assisted living facility search. If you're evaluating a nursing home or skilled-nursing rehab stay, the records instead sit with VDH's Office of Licensure and Certification. DC and Maryland don't make this distinction - both keep everything under one roof - so it catches families who've already researched a facility in another part of the metro and assume the same portal will work here.

Local Area Agencies on Aging

the Arlington Area Agency on Aging, the Alexandria Division of Aging and Adult Services, or the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging (Division of Adult and Aging Services) can each provide free options counseling independent of a specific complaint.

Legal basis

Northern Virginia's assisted living facilities are licensed by the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) under 22VAC40-73, while the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) licenses nursing facilities separately. Virginia Medicaid, run by DMAS, now delivers managed care under the Cardinal Care umbrella, and the Auxiliary Grant - co-administered with the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) - helps eligible residents cover assisted living room and board. Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax each operate their own Area Agency on Aging.