The Virginia Health Care Association-Virginia Center for Assisted Living’s (VHCA-VCAL) advocacy work on behalf of long term care providers is a year-round job. While the General Assembly session may get most of the attention, the meetings and outreach we conduct with legislators, agency officials, and other stakeholders beyond session can have lasting impact on our ability to be effective advocates.

We’ll be using this space to highlight VHCA-VCAL staff and leadership’s participation in meetings and events that are critical to the profession. Take a look at our activities this week:

• 2/8—Attended the Senate Finance Committee’s Health and Human Resources (HHR) subcommittee meeting.
• 2/9—Monitored the activities of the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, the Senate Health Professions subcommittee, and the House Appropriations HHR subcommittee meetings.
• 2/9—Participated in a steering committee meeting for the Governor’s Conference on Aging set for May 2-3.
• 2/10—Attended the House Appropriations Committee meeting.
• 2/11—Sharon Darby of Children’s Hospital of Richmond convened a meeting of the Nurse Scholarship Committee to review the scholarship criteria for 2016 applicants.
• 2/11—Monitored the Senate Education and Health Committee and the Senate Rules Committee meetings.
• 2/12—Attended the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee meeting.