Our assessments review important service areas. We propose how to make services for people with disabilities better. State law calls for us to assess two areas each year.
Geographic Disparities Assessment
In Virginia, people who live in rural areas do not have the same services as people who live in urban areas. People who live in rural areas have a lot of barriers to health services. They often do not have broadband access or doctors who are close by. They have trouble getting transportation and caretakers for appointments. They may also have social anxiety.
This assessment reviews how access to healthcare is affected by where you live. The report has special emphasis on broadband access and telehealth services. We recommend how to improve access to healthcare.
2023 Assessment: Accessibility of Dental Care
Among 27 states, Virginia has the worst dental access for people with developmental disabilities (DD). Our state is not meeting the U.S. Department of Justice Settlement Agreement. People with DD have trouble getting dental care. Many dental staff are not able or willing to treat them. We need different ways to educate dental staff. Dental offices that accept Medicaid should get higher refund payments from the Medicaid program (reimbursement rates). We also need to get better at making sure that dental offices are doing what they are supposed to do.