Dear Members of the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates,

Let's stop pretending this is under control.

I am writing yet again to raise the alarm on the crisis raging through Virginia's long-term care system--and once again, I'm met with silence from the very people elected to serve and protect us. The most vulnerable Virginians are suffering and dying in state-licensed facilities while the General Assembly sits idle. Where is the leadership?

Let's talk about facts.

Criminal Charges: In December 2024, Attorney General Jason Miyares announced criminal charges against 18 individuals associated with the Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. This wasn't a clerical error or policy violation--it was elder abuse and neglect, plain and simple.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit: The family of Geraldine Richardson, 78, filed suit after her death at this same facility, alleging untreated bedsores, septic infection, and fatal negligence. She died in the care of a state-regulated home, and no one in power has even blinked.

ADA Violations: And let's not forget--MFA, one of Virginia's major long-term care operators, quietly settled a federal ADA complaint in 2021 for a facility in Culpeper. If this is the standard, then we are failing miserably.

To Senator Glen Sturtevant, Delegate Mike Cherry, and Delegate Carrie Coyner--you represent Colonial Heights. You represent the very community where this tragedy unfolded. And yet we've seen no public statements, no proposed reforms, no outrage. Where are you?

To the rest of the General Assembly: don't kid yourselves. Abuse and neglect aren't confined to Colonial Heights. The only difference is those families came forward. In your own districts, the same horrors are happening, just unreported. Why? Because families don't know how to file a complaint, and when they do, they rarely see justice.

You have the constitutional power to call a special session. You have the ability to demand hearings, introduce emergency legislation, and bring stakeholders to the table.

So why haven't you?

I urge you--no, I dare you--to stop ignoring this:

•Acknowledge the statewide long-term care crisis, publicly and without spin.

•Commit to a special session dedicated to elder protection and nursing facility reform.

•Listen to the CNAs, nurses, residents, and families who are living this nightmare every day.

The longer you wait, the more people will suffer in silence. But silence from the General Assembly? That's no longer acceptable. History will remember who acted--and who stayed comfortable.

Sincerely,

Victoria Jackson

Constituent | CNA | Long-Term Care Advocate

Author of Dale's Law: The Virginia Long-Term Care Quality and Nursing Admissions Reform Act of 2025