Virginia Commissioner of Health Dr. Marissa Levine, along with VHCA-VCAL President and CEO Keith Hare and LeadingAge Virginia Interim President and CEO Bob Gerndt, have announce an initiative to assist licensed nursing centers to prepare for an respond to disasters and emergency events.

As part of this effort, the Virginia Department of Health has contracted with Russell Phillips & Associates, a national health care fire and emergency management consulting firm, to develop the statewide Long Term Care Mutual Aid Plan (LTC-MAP). The LTC-MAP will establish a course of action and agreed commitment among long term care facilities to assist each other during disasters.

Representatives of Russell Phillips & Associates will conduct site visits at all Virginia nursing centers. In some regions, including northern Virginia and parts of southwestern Virginia, visits have already been completed or are being scheduled.

To read the letter explaining the initiative, which includes information on how the site visits will be conducted, click here.