How to Check Virginia Nursing Home Complaints and Inspection Records

You're choosing between two facilities for your parent, and the brochures look identical. The difference is in the inspection reports — but Virginia splits its facility oversight between two separate agencies, and most families don't know where to look. Here's how to pull the real safety record for any nursing home or assisted living facility in the state.

Two Agencies, Two Search Tools

Virginia regulates care facilities under two different departments:

Nursing homes are licensed and inspected by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Licensure and Certification. These are clinical facilities providing 24-hour skilled nursing care.

Assisted living facilities (including memory care units) are licensed by the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) Division of Licensing Programs. These are residential settings providing personal care and supervision under a non-medical model.

If your parent is going into memory care — which in Virginia operates as a secured unit within an ALF — you need the VDSS records, not VDH.

How to Search Assisted Living Inspection Reports

Use the VDSS Assisted Living Facility Search tool at dss.virginia.gov. You can search by facility name, city, or county.

Each facility profile shows the current license status, licensed capacity, and the history of inspection visits. Look for:

• Licensing violations under 22VAC40-73 — this is the state code governing ALFs. Violations related to staffing levels, medication administration, and resident rights are the most concerning.
• Complaint investigations — these are triggered by reports from families, staff, or the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The investigation summary describes what was alleged and what the inspector found.
• Compliance plans — if violations were found, the facility must submit a corrective action plan. Check whether the same issues recur across multiple inspection cycles.

How to Search Nursing Home Records

For nursing homes, use Medicare's Care Compare tool at medicare.gov/care-compare. Search by facility name and Virginia location. Each profile includes a star rating (1-5), health inspection results, staffing data, and quality measures.

The VDH Office of Licensure and Certification also maintains inspection records. You can request specific reports by contacting the regional OLC office for your parent's area.

Red Flags to Watch For

Not all violations are equal. Focus on patterns that directly affect resident safety:

• Repeated staffing violations — particularly overnight staffing in memory care units, where Virginia mandates awake direct-care staff at all times
• Medication errors — especially with psychotropic medications, which are frequently overused in dementia care
• Fall-related incidents — look for whether the facility conducted a root-cause analysis and changed protocols
• Involuntary discharge disputes — facilities that routinely discharge residents for behavioral symptoms may not have adequate dementia training
• Same violation across multiple inspections — this indicates the corrective action plan isn't working

How to File a Complaint

If your parent is already in a facility and you suspect neglect, abuse, or financial exploitation, file a complaint:

For assisted living (including memory care): File through the VDSS Connect Portal online, or call the VDSS Division of Licensing Programs directly. You can report anonymously.

For nursing homes: Contact the VDH Office of Licensure and Certification, or call Adult Protective Services if the concern involves abuse or exploitation.

For any facility type: Contact the regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman program is administered through local Area Agencies on Aging. They investigate complaints, advocate for residents, and can accompany you to facility meetings.

The Virginia Dementia and Memory Care Guide includes a facility tour scorecard with specific inspection questions to ask during visits and instructions for reading violation reports.

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