To the Members of the Virginia General Assembly,
Let’s be clear: the public is watching you.
Thousands of Virginians have already signed the petition to revoke the license of Harrisonburg Health & Rehabilitation Centerâ—an institution at the center of documented abuse, neglect, and chronic understaffing. But this petition, and Dale’s Law, are about more than just one facility—they demand statewide minimum staffing standards, transparent admissions reform, and real accountability for every long-term care provider in Virginia.
Every single person who signs this petition is being updated regularly about your refusal to act—and how Virginia lawmakers have ignored a crisis that has persisted for years and now qualifies as an outright emergency.
And for every one person who signs, think about how many more they’re telling. Families. Friends. Coworkers. Constituents. Negative opinions travel faster and farther—and you are earning them by the day.
This isn’t just about one facility. It’s about a system you’ve allowed to fail.
Let’s talk about power, money, and the people getting hurt.
Across Virginia, elderly and disabled residents in long-term care facilities are suffering—abandoned by a system that rewards influence over integrity. While vulnerable residents at places like Harrisonburg Health & Rehabilitation Center endure abuse, neglect, and chronic understaffing, many of you have chosen to look the other way.
Why? Because the nursing home industry pays you to.
•Delegate Luke Torian accepted $27,500 from nursing home giants Medical Facilities of America (MFA) and American Healthcare, despite not serving on a health-related committee. As Chair of House Appropriations, he decides which life-saving reforms get funded—and which ones don’t.
•Senator Frank Ruff Orrock, with no direct oversight of nursing homes, still took $19,500. Why? Because he sits on powerful committees like Education & Health and Finance—the same places industry-backed bills are buried.
•Delegate Mark Sickles, Vice Chair of House Appropriations and a member of Health, Welfare and Institutions, accepted $10,018 from the same companies, while helping shape the laws and budgets that could fix this crisis.
•Senator George Barker, former Chair of Senate Education & Health, took $15,000. Under his leadership, Virginia still has no safe staffing law.
•Delegate Terry Kilgore, House Majority Leader, accepted $12,500 while sitting on Rules and Commerce & Energy. He has the power to set priorities—and the industry knows it.
And behind these figures, lobbyists like William Benjamin Hopkins Jr. and Charles Richard Cranwell Jr., representing American HealthCare LLC (owner of the Heritage Hall chain), are working around the clock to weaken reforms and preserve profits, even as their facilities face serious complaints of neglect and abuse.
This is what power looks like in Richmond: corporations buying silence, lobbyists writing policy, and lawmakers cashing checks while Virginians suffer.
We are calling for:
•Minimum mandatory staffing standards
•Transparent, ethical admissions practices
•Real oversight and accountability
•Revocation of licenses for abusive facilities—starting with Harrisonburg Health & Rehabilitation Center
You may not care what your constituents want—but they deserve to know where you stand. Right now, many of you have chosen money and influence over the health and dignity of our most vulnerable neighbors.
It’s time to choose differently.
Don’t let your aides tell you it’s “too difficult”—one of Senator Mark Obenshain’s aides actually said this to the daughter of a long-term care abuse victim when she pleaded for urgent action. Imagine telling a grieving family member that protecting vulnerable residents is simply too hard.
What’s difficult is convincing a body full of Delegates and Senators to do the right thing—to stand with the voters who elected them rather than the lobbyists and corporations who fund them. And yet, here we are, doing exactly that.
So the question remains:
Are you going to let the common layman outshine you?
Or will you rise to the occasion and be a champion for truth, justice, and ethics?
Because if you choose to continue prioritizing profits over people, don’t be surprised when the voters choose to prioritize new representation over the ones who failed them.
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