Department of Health [601]
Secretarial Area: Health and Human Resources
Operating Budget Summary
This table shows the Governor's proposed budget for the next two years and the agency's official budget for the previous six years.
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Biennium Fiscal Year Source GF NGF Total
2014-2016 2015 Chapter 732, 2016 Acts of Assembly $160,729,959 $480,503,381 $641,233,340
2014-2016 2016 Chapter 732, 2016 Acts of Assembly $165,510,117 $480,602,566 $646,112,683
2016-2018 2017 Chapter 1, 2018 Acts of Assembly $168,807,615 $529,096,894 $697,904,509
2016-2018 2018 Chapter 1, 2018 Acts of Assembly $170,525,146 $532,728,591 $703,253,737
2018-2020 2019 Chapter 1283, 2020 Acts of Assembly $182,107,747 $548,203,813 $730,311,560
2018-2020 2020 Chapter 1283, 2020 Acts of Assembly $180,711,343 $549,408,884 $730,120,227
2020-2022 2021 Chapter 552, 2021 Acts of Assembly, Special Session I $192,953,062 $604,272,099 $797,225,161
2020-2022 2021 Previous Legislative Appropriation $200,240,415 $585,546,962 $785,787,377
2020-2022 2021 Governor's Amendments $30,620,018 $0 $30,620,018
2020-2022 2021 General Assembly Adjustments ($37,907,371) $18,725,137 ($19,182,234)
2020-2022 2022 Chapter 552, 2021 Acts of Assembly, Special Session I $208,119,838 $721,576,816 $929,696,654
2020-2022 2022 Previous Legislative Appropriation $198,041,753 $583,087,587 $781,129,340
2020-2022 2022 Governor's Amendments $82,937,460 $42,440,879 $125,378,339
2020-2022 2022 General Assembly Adjustments ($72,859,375) $96,048,350 $23,188,975
Positions Budget Summary
Biennium Fiscal Year Source GF NGF Total
2014-2016 2015 Chapter 732, 2016 Acts of Assembly 1,485.00 2,191.00 3,676.00
2014-2016 2016 Chapter 732, 2016 Acts of Assembly 1,488.00 2,192.00 3,680.00
2016-2018 2017 Chapter 1, 2018 Acts of Assembly 1,490.00 2,192.00 3,682.00
2016-2018 2018 Chapter 1, 2018 Acts of Assembly 1,490.00 2,193.00 3,683.00
2018-2020 2019 Chapter 1283, 2020 Acts of Assembly 1,503.00 2,196.00 3,699.00
2018-2020 2020 Chapter 1283, 2020 Acts of Assembly 1,504.50 2,198.00 3,702.50
2020-2022 2021 Chapter 552, 2021 Acts of Assembly, Special Session I 1,513.50 2,198.00 3,711.50
2020-2022 2021 Previous Legislative Appropriation 1,513.50 2,198.00 3,711.50
2020-2022 2021 Governor's Amendments 0.00 0.00 0.00
2020-2022 2021 General Assembly Adjustments 0.00 0.00 0.00
2020-2022 2022 Chapter 552, 2021 Acts of Assembly, Special Session I 1,571.50 2,228.00 3,799.50
2020-2022 2022 Previous Legislative Appropriation 1,517.50 2,198.00 3,715.50
2020-2022 2022 Governor's Amendments 27.00 0.00 27.00
2020-2022 2022 General Assembly Adjustments 27.00 30.00 57.00
Operating Budget Addenda (in order of greatest impact)
•
Add funding to support mass vaccination efforts Decision Package
  Provides general fund appropriation to continue support for a mass vaccination campaign to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and have systems in place to efficiently store and distribute COVID-19 vaccines.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $30,184,899 $59,123,029
•
Request base appropriation for the Epidemiological and Laboratory Capacity federal grant Decision Package
  Provides nongeneral fund appropriation in the second year for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity grant for COVID-19 response to continue testing and containment efforts.
 
  FY FY
Nongeneral Fund $0 $40,255,099
•
Add funding for COVID-19 pandemic communications needs Decision Package
  Provides general fund support to further enhance the agency's communication efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the Virginia's Health is in Our Hands campaign.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $6,500,000 $12,500,000
•
Move reductions to agency budget Decision Package
  Moves the reductions included in Item 482.20 of the 2020 Special Session Appropriation Act from Central Appropriations to the agency budget.
 
  FY FY
General Fund ($7,387,353) ($6,276,521)
•
Update JLARC cooperative budget funding formula Decision Package
  Provides general fund appropriation to the Virginia Department of Health to meet the revised funding formula estimates for the cooperative health budget. The agency will use a portion of this funding to hold harmless localities that would otherwise experience a decrease in general fund support.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $10,200,000
•
Strengthen infrastructure for disease surveillance and investigation Decision Package
  Provides general fund appropriation to support epidemiologist and communicable disease nurse positions at the Office of Epidemiology for public health emergency response and to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $3,118,145
Positions 0.00 26.00
•
Add funding for COVID-19 data modeling Decision Package
  Provides general fund support to contract with the University of Virginia's Biocomplexity Institute and the RAND corporation for COVID-19 data modeling services.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $722,472 $1,444,944
•
Add funding for adequate IT bandwidth infrastructure Decision Package
  Provides general fund support to increase bandwidth capacity across 180 agency locations to address technological inefficiencies. This will allow the Virginia Department of Health and public health partners to communicate and share critical information in a timely manner, which is important during a public health pandemic.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $1,321,320
Nongeneral Fund $0 $711,480
•
Transfer general fund appropriation from the Department of Behavioral Health Services for Naloxone distribution Decision Package
  Transfers general fund appropriation for the purchase of naloxone from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services central office to the Virginia Department of Health, which has a greater capacity to store and distribute Naloxone doses.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $1,300,000
•
Add clarifying language for the Contraceptive Access Initiative and increase TANF funding Decision Package
  Increases nongeneral fund appropriation from federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds for LARC and non-LARC contraceptives. Additionally, this amendment adds language giving the Virginia Department of Health the flexibility to shift funding from one category of contraceptives to the other based on patient volume and patient choice.
 
  FY FY
Nongeneral Fund $0 $1,000,000
•
Add funding for a strategic public communication campaign Decision Package
  Provides general fund appropriation to support a strategic public communications campaign with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion to maximize the reach of COVID-19 communications to target Virginians of various socio-economic, geographic, racial and ethnic, generational, physical and mental abilities, religious, gender, language differences, and other unique similarities and differences.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $600,000 $0
•
Request general fund match and nongeneral fund appropriation for a COVID-19 response grant for the Office of Licensure and Certification Decision Package
  Provides general fund appropriation to be used as match to draw down federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services funds through the CARES Act and provides nongeneral fund appropriation for the grant funds. Funding will be used for survey and certification activities associated with the increased workload due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $59,288
Nongeneral Fund $0 $474,300
•
Add funding and a position for a wastewater infrastructure manager Decision Package
  Provides general fund appropriation and one position to support a wastewater infrastructure manager in the Office of Environmental Health Services. This position is necessary to address the aging wastewater treatment systems in Virginia. Additionally this position would be responsible for facilitating a number of loans or grants associated with legislation creating an onsite sewage indemnification fund.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $137,255
Positions 0.00 1.00
•
Provide additional funding for the Special Olympics' Health Athletes program Decision Package
  Provides additional general fund support the second year for the Special Olympics 'Healthy Athlete' Program.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $10,000
•
Accuracy Reporting of COVID-19 Data (2020 Special Session General Assembly Action - 299 #2c) Decision Package
  This amendment adds language directing the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to report actual deaths in their COVID-19 or other infectious disease data collection and reporting protocols. This will ensure that when VDH provides the public with reporting on any infectious diseases (i.e. flu, COVID-19, etc.) that it is reported in a manner that can be easily understood by citizens who do not have a degree in statistical modeling or a doctorate in epidemiology. If VDH is already reporting using a statistical model from a federal center, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that reporting may continue, but VDH must also report, in clear unambiguous terms, the actual deaths directly related to each disease. It is the intent that VDH share their data and methodology, such that any citizen, with a basic understanding of high school Algebra, should be able to replicate the results.
•
Eliminate the Office of Vital Records' credit line Decision Package
  Removes language establishing a line of credit for the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Vital Records. The line of credit has never been utilized and is no longer necessary.
•
Priority Testing Access for Long-Term Care Facilities (2020 Special Session General Assembly Action - 299 #3c) Decision Package
  This amendment provides for residents and employees of nursing facilities or assisted living facilities to have priority in testing for COVID-19 to help prevent or contain outbreaks in such long-term care facilities, where the most vulnerable and fatal impacts from COVID-19 have occurred to date.
•
Require Medical Facilities to Allow Designated Persons to Accompany or Visit Disabled Patients (2020 Special Session General Assembly Action - 300 #1c) Decision Package
  This amendment adds language requiring medical facilities licensed by the Virginia Department of Health, with the exception of nursing facilities, to allow patients with disabilities to be accompanied by a designated support person at the time services are provided and to allow for visits by such person(s). Assisted living facilities would not be subject to the requirements since they are licensed by the Department of Social Services.
•
Support the Virginia Partners in Prayer Program Decision Package
  Adds language directing the Office of Health Equity to provide support for the Virginia Partners in Prayer Program. Funding will come from current general fund resources at the Virginia Department of Health.
•
Transfer nongeneral fund appropriation between programs to better align with execution Decision Package
  Transfers nongeneral fund appropriation between programs to accurately reflect where expenditures occur within the agency.
•
Update State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program budget language Decision Package
  Replaces State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program specific income requirements with Virginia Medication Assistance Program (VA MAP) eligibility requirements. The change is necessary to ensure that seniors and disabled people living with HIV who qualify for Medicare, but not SPAP assistance, would now qualify under the VA MAP specific income requirements.
•
VDH Plan for Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine & Other Medication (2020 Special Session General Assembly Action - 299 #1c) Decision Package
  This amendment directs the Virginia Department of Health to convene a work group to examine and develop a plan to ensure that vaccines and other medications to treat or prevent the spread of COVID-19 are equitably distributed in the Commonwealth.
•
Supplant Mass Vaccination Program with Nongeneral Funds General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment supplants $30.2 million the first year and $59.1 million the second year to support the Commonwealth's mass vaccination efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On December 27, 2020, the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was signed into law which provides substantial federal assistance to support states in vaccine administration efforts. Virginia's share of this funding is $77.1 million. With this additional federal support, the general fund added in the introduced budget can be supplanted with federal funds. The new federal funding is not sufficient to fully supplant all $89.3 million of general fund in the biennium, however, Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) allocated to the Department of Medical Assistance Services have not been fully utilized, so this amendment includes $12.2 million in the first year in CRF funds. A separate amendment in Central Appropriations reflects the change in the allocation of CRF funds.
 
  FY FY
General Fund ($30,184,899) ($59,123,029)
Nongeneral Fund $18,002,665 $59,123,029
•
COVID-19 Testing at Higher Education Institutions General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $34.5 million the second year from the federal Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) funds for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing in state institutions of higher education. The state recently received notice of additional ELC funds which were provided through the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-123). Language is added directing the Virginia Department of Health to include this activity in its plan to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Funding not used by June 30, 2022 may be reallocated for other planned uses.
 
  FY FY
Nongeneral Fund $0 $34,524,000
•
Supplant COVID-19 Communication Needs with Federal Funds General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment supplants $7.1 million the first year and $12.5 million the second year from the general fund with available federal Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF). The CRF funds allocated to the Department of Medical Assistance Services have not all been fully utilized, so this amendment supplants $7.1 million in the first year and $12.5 million the second year in CRF funds. A separate amendment in Central Appropriations reflects the change in the allocation of CRF funds. In addition, language directs a portion of the state and federal funding allocated for COVID-19 communications to be used for outreach and communications to high-risk populations that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic more so than the general population and for which traditional communication mediums are not as effective. It also directs the funding to be used for translation services.
 
  FY FY
General Fund ($7,100,000) ($12,500,000)
•
Phase-In Local Health Department Funding Formula Changes General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment reduces $7.4 million the second year from the general fund by phasing in over three years the increase in local matching funds and the increase in state support for the updates to the local health department cooperative funding formula. The introduced budget provided $10.2 million, which included funding for a hold harmless in fiscal year 2022, to implement the funding formula changes. This amendment reflects one-third of the state impact in the second year as the changes are phased in over three years and, as such, a hold harmless is not necessary.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 ($7,364,304)
•
Supplant GF with NGF for COVID-19 Data Modeling General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment supplants $722,472 the first year and $1.4 million the second year from the general fund for COVID-19 data modeling with a like amount of funds each year from the federal Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) grant provided through the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-123).
 
  FY FY
General Fund ($722,472) ($1,444,944)
Nongeneral Fund $722,472 $1,444,944
•
Strengthen Disease Surveillance and Investigation (Community Health) General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $2.7 million the second year from the general fund in the Office of Epidemiology to support 23 additional positions in addition to the $3.1 million included in the introduced budget provided to sustain and expand the Virginia Department of Health s communicable disease surveillance and investigation efforts across the Office of Epidemiology and the 35 local health districts in Virginia. The introduced budget funded 12 epidemiologists and 12 communicable disease nurses across the 35 health districts and funded two epidemiology program managers in the Office of Epidemiology in the Central Office. This amendment funds a total of 47 epidemiologists and communicable disease nurses to expand the Commonwealth's communicable disease surveillance and investigation capabilities. A separate amendment funds additional epidemiology program managers in the Office of Epidemiology
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $2,735,339
Positions 0.00 23.00
•
Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment restores funding and language that was provided in Chapter 1289, 2020 Virginia Acts of Assembly, to establish the Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program. Funding for this Item was unallotted in April, 2020 and eliminated in Chapter 56, 2020 Special Session I Acts of Assembly. The program would increase the number of Virginia behavioral health practitioners through the establishment of an educational loan repayment incentive that complements and coordinates with existing efforts to recruit and retain Virginia behavioral health practitioners. The program would allow for a variety of behavioral health practitioners to receive a student loan repayment award from the Commonwealth in exchange for providing service to Virginia communities that are otherwise underserved. Practitioners would receive loan repayment for up to 25 percent of student loan debt for each year of health care service provided to the Commonwealth. Maximum loan repayment amounts per year are dependent upon the type of behavioral health professional applying and shall not exceed the total student loan debt. Participating practitioners will have an initial two-year minimum participation obligation and may renew for a third and fourth year. This provides the practitioner with the opportunity to fully pay off their student loan debt while providing four years of service to the Commonwealth. In addition, this amendment also strikes outdated language related to developing a plan for increasing the number of behavioral health practitioners.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $1,600,000
•
Communicable Disease Info System for EMS General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $956,377 the second year from federal Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) grant funds provided through the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-123) to implement the provisions of House Bill 1989, 2021 Special Session I. The bill provides for the development and implementation of a system for sharing information regarding confirmed cases of communicable diseases of public health threat with emergency medical services agencies in real time during a declared public health emergency. The information from the system would also be shared with the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board and regional emergency medical services councils upon request, in order to protect the health and safety of emergency medical services personnel and the public.
 
  FY FY
Nongeneral Fund $0 $956,377
•
Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Fund General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment restores $100,000 the first year and $650,000 the second year from the general fund for the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Fund that was created pursuant to Chapters 912 and 913, 2020 Actis of Assembly. The program would be administered by the Department of Social Services and the Department of Health. The fund will award grants on a competitive basis to local sexual and domestic violence agencies engaged in evidence-informed sexual and domestic violence prevention work. In addition, language is included directing the Department of Health to continue to award and provide federal Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) funds through the cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control to six sexual and domestic violence organizations.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $100,000 $650,000
•
Comprehensive Adult Sickle Cell Disease Services General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment adds $500,000 the second year from the general fund and half of a position for the comprehensive adult sickle cell disease (SCD) program. Language sets out total funding for this program. Chapter 1289, 2020 Virginia Acts of Assembly provided $305,000 each year of the biennium for adult sickle cell disease services. This amendment would bring the total funding in the second year to $805,000.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $500,000
Positions 0.00 0.50
•
Nurse Preceptor Incentive Program General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment restores $500,000 the second year from the general fund to the Virginia Department of Health to establish a Nursing Preceptor Incentive Program. Funding for this program was unallotted in April, 2020 and eliminated in Chapter 56, 2020 Special Session I Virginia Acts of Assembly. The department would report to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees by November 1, 2021 on the progress of establishing the Nursing Preceptor Incentive Program. The Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority is directed to develop a process for the consideration of requests for funding from the Nursing Preceptor Incentive Program.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $500,000
•
Prescription Price Transparency General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $393,801 the second year from the general fund to develop a new data collection program to address prescription drug price transparency, pursuant to the provisions of House Bill 2007, 2021 Special Session I. The data would be used in combination with data already submitted to the Virginia All Payer Claims Database (APCD) to develop an annual online report that analyzes drivers of prescription drug prices. The legislation requires information that cannot be collected using the existing APCD layout and data fields. Costs decrease in the out-years to $318,801 annually after subtracting one-time costs for the development of the system.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $393,801
•
Local Health Department Rent Increases General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $276,897 the second year from the general fund for the state's share of increases in leased space for 24 local health departments, including the restoration of funding for lease increases at 20 local health departments, which was included in Chapter 1289, 2020 Virginia Acts of Assembly, unallotted in April, 2020 and eliminated in Chapter 56, 2020 Special Session I Virginia Acts of Assembly. Funding also provides for lease increases at four additional local health departments, including the Counties of Russell and Northampton and the Cities of Colonial Heights and Chesapeake. Language is added to require the Virginia Health Department to annually submit requests for the funding of new or escalated rent increases at local health departments.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $276,897
•
Lead Water Testing Program General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $250,000 the second year from the general fund and three positions for the Virginia Department of Health to handle testing plans and test results of lead water testing by local schools and provides funding for the department to handle the testing plans and test results of lead water testing submitted to the agency from child care facilities.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $250,000
Positions 0.00 3.00
•
Strengthen Disease Surveillance and Investigation (Central Office) General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $197,909 the second year from the general fund in the Office of Epidemiology to support 1.5 additional positions to the $3.1 million included in the introduced budget provided to sustain and expand the Virginia Department of Health's communicable disease surveillance and investigation efforts across the Office of Epidemiology and the 35 local health districts in Virginia. The introduced budget funded 12 epidemiologists and 12 communicable disease nurses across the 35 health districts and funded two epidemiology program managers in the Office of Epidemiology in the Central Office. This amendment funds 1.5 additional epidemiology program managers in the Office of Epidemiology. A separate amendment funds a total of 47 epidemiologists and communicable disease nurses to expand the Commonwealth's communicable disease surveillance and investigation capabilities.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $197,909
Positions 0.00 1.50
•
Task Force on Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $151,180 from the general fund the second year for the fiscal impact of House Bill 2111, 2021 Special Session I, which requires the State Health Commissioner to establish a Task Force on Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures for the purpose of evaluating maternal health data collection to guide policies in the Commonwealth to improve maternal care, quality, and outcomes for all birthing people in the Commonwealth. The Task Force shall report its findings and conclusions to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1 of each year regarding its activities and shall conclude its work by December 1, 2023.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $151,180
•
Fund Position to Support Workforce Programs General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $88,914 the second year from the general fund to fund one position for administering the Behavioral Health Loan Repayment program and the Nursing Preceptor Incentive program funded in companion amendments in Item 295.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $88,914
•
Study of Certain Substances in Drinking Water General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $60,000 the second year from the general fund for the continued work of the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Drinking Water to continue its study of the occurrence of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and other perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Commonwealth's public drinking water and to develop recommendations for specific maximum contaminant levels for PFOA, PFOS, and other PFAS for inclusion in regulations of the Board of Health applicable to waterworks.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $60,000
•
Plan for Fetal & Infant Mortality Review Team General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $51,146 the second year from the general fund for the fiscal impact of House Bill 1950, 2021 Special Session I, which directs the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to convene a work group to develop a plan for the establishment of a Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team by December 1, 2021.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $51,146
•
Rare Disease Advisory Council General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $42,716 from the general fund the second year to fund the fiscal impact of House Bill 1995, 2021 Special Session I, which establishes the Rare Disease Advisory Council.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $42,716
•
Increase Funding for Special Olympics Healthy Athlete Program General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides an additional $40,000 the second year from the general fund for the Special Olympics Virginia Healthy Athlete Program. The introduced budget provided an additional $10,000 to the existing appropriation of $10,000 for fiscal year 2022. With the additional funding in this amendment, the program will receive $60,000 in fiscal year 2022.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $40,000
•
Nurse Loan Repayment Program General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment provides $35,000 from the general fund the second year to assist with funding for the expansion of the nurse loan repayment program pursuant to Senate Bill 1147, 2021 Special Session I, that adds certified nurse aides as eligible for the program. The additional funding is dedicated to supporting certified nurse aides and is capped at $1,000.
 
  FY FY
General Fund $0 $35,000
•
Add Positions in the VDH Office of Emergency Medical Services General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment adds 30 full-time positions funded through nongeneral funds in the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS). These positions would backfill the loss of positions based on implementation of the agency's shared business services. However, the positions are needed to enable OEMS to work directly with the Regional Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Councils. Each Council maintains a Board of Directors but they are staffed by OEMS. In addition, the OEMS will have responsibility for directly managing two regional EMS councils (Shenandoah and Rappahannock). Funding will be shifted within OEMS to cover the cost of the added positions.
 
  FY FY
Positions 0.00 30.00
•
Certification Program for Doulas General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment adds language requiring the Commissioner of Health to develop a task force on Doula certification, regulations and other related issues.
•
Clarify Charity Care Requirement for Nursing Facilities General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment clarifies that the charity care provisions of ยง 32.1-102.4 (B), Code of Virginia, do not apply to nursing facilities. This is a technical amendment to ensure the appropriate interpretation of the charity care requirements, based on changes made in the 2020 General Assembly Session, are applied consistent with the intent of that legislation.
•
Correct Position Level General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment eliminates one general fund position included in the introduced budget that was added with the funding for a wastewater infrastructure manager. This funding is a restoration of funding previously approved in Chapter 1289 from the 2020 Session. However, the funding for this position was eliminated in Chapter 56 in the Special Session I, but the position was not removed. Therefore, this amendment corrects the position level for the agency.
 
  FY FY
Positions 0.00 (1.00)
•
COVID-19 Testing and Surveillance in DBHDS State-operated Facilities General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment directs the Virginia Department of Health to plan for and make available funding estimated at $2.1 million the first year and $4.3 million the second year for COVID-19 testing and surveillance in the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) state-operated facilities. The source of the funding is intended to come from the federal Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) provided pursuant to the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-123). Language directs the Virginia Department of Health to include this activity in its plan to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and transfer such funds to DBHDS for this purpose. A companion amendment in Item 326 eliminates general fund amounts provided to DBHDS for this purpose.
•
Pilot program to Study Use of Vertically Elevated Septic System General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment adds language directing the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and Department of Environmental Quality, in partnership with the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, to initiate a three-year pilot program designed to study the use of engineered septic systems that house and treat sewage effluent in an elevated, self-contained unit suitable for areas with high water tables and susceptible to flooding in Coastal Virginia. A companion amendment in Item 114 provides funding to Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission for costs associated with the pilot program.
•
Reflect Hospital Provision Requirements associated with HB2162 General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment clarifies that the requirements placed on hospitals regarding designated support persons are consistent with enacted HB 2162 of the 2021 General Assembly.
•
VA Assoc. of Volunteer Rescue Squads Fund Disbursement General Assembly Adjustment
  This amendment adds language ensuring the timely distribution of Four for Life funding to the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads (VAVRS) on a quarterly basis. This past year, receipt of these funds has been inconsistent due to the adoption of the new Shared Business Services at the Department of Health, resulting in difficulties with cash flow for the VAVRS.


p3_bullets - Official Enacted Budget - 06-07-2025 17:14:19