The Northam Administration issued an urgent request of long term care (LTC) providers to admit stable, appropriate, ready for discharge individuals to any available step down placement including family placement, supported living environments, nursing facilities, or long term care facilities. The Commonwealth is looking to relieve a crisis level geriatric census at Virginia’s state psychiatric hospitals. The state is also requesting that LTC providers employ strategies to divert from inpatient state psychiatric placement to the extent possible.

As of July 10, state hospitals are utilizing 111.1 percent geriatric bed capacity. The geriatric units and hospital admission units are fully occupied, and adult units are being used for overflow. We are continuing to see increases on our geriatric waiting lists. All state hospitals are currently being impacted by high census numbers, but the heaviest hit are Piedmont Geriatric Hospital in Burkeville, Eastern State Hospital near Williamsburg, Catawba Hospital near Salem, and Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute in Marion.

The Commonwealth has tremendous concern about the state geriatric bed crisis given our roles in licensing, regulating and managing public funding for Virginia’s comprehensive system of healthcare providers, and the obligation to ensure the availability of quality health care for all Virginians.

State hospitals with geriatric patients have collected information on stable, appropriate for discharge patients. Patient referral packets are ready to be sent containing information such as face sheets, UAI, Level II approval (if applicable), history, physical, medication list, and past 30 days progress notes (nursing, social work, physician notes). Additionally, the state is able to provide COVID-19 rapid testing prior to admission.

More details are provided in the July 10 letter.