WASHINGTON – Veterans in Virginia will have greater access to long-term health care, thanks to a $14.7 million grant awarded Aug. 3 by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to build a state nursing home in Richmond.
"This grant honors our commitment to care for the men and women who have served in uniform," said the Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. “Our federal-state partnership will provide a comfortable home for Virginia’s veterans in a time of personal need.”
The $14.7 million grant will pay up to 65 percent of the cost to construct and equip a 160-bed state veterans home in Richmond. Overall cost of the project is estimated at $22.6 million.
VA’s State Home Program is a partnership with the states to acquire, construct or renovate nursing homes, domiciliaries and adult day health care facilities for veterans. When construction is complete and inspections are satisfactory, the facilities qualify for per diem payments from VA; however, the states own and operate the homes.
In fiscal year 2004, the Department of Veterans Affairs spent more than $1.7 billion in Virginia to serve over 750,000 state veterans. VA operates three major medical centers in Hampton, Richmond and Salem, with outpatient clinics and Vet Centers in many Virginia communities.
For additional information regarding Virginia’s veterans' homes, please call (540) 982-2860.
