Public Policy

The Virginia Association of Community Rehabilitation Programs (vaACCSES) is a statewide association of organizations providing quality employment, residential, training, and support services for individuals with disabilities across the Commonwealth.

In 2026, vaACCSES is committed to ensuring that services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and behavioral health needs are high-quality, equitable, and financially sustainable statewide. The Commonwealth must take decisive action to support the more than 17,000 individuals currently receiving waiver services, as well as the additional 3,440 individuals promised access to services over the next two years.

Without meaningful investment and comprehensive rate reform, Virginia’s disability service system faces a growing crisis that threatens provider stability, workforce retention, and access to care for individuals with the highest support needs.

vaACCSES 2026 Legislative & Budget Priorities

Fully fund high-quality waiver services. 
In July 2024, the Commonwealth of Virginia made a historic commitment by allocating 3,440 additional waiver slots. However, current funding levels fall well short of the true cost of delivering services. Waiver reimbursement rates have not kept pace with real-world expenses, including workforce shortages, increased medical and behavioral complexity, inflation, and rising labor costs driven by minimum wage increases. Providers are entirely dependent on state reimbursement and cannot raise rates to offset these pressures. Without significant funding increases, provider capacity will continue to shrink, placing current and future service recipients at serious risk.

Ensure sustainable, equitable rate increases across all services.
Virginia’s last rate rebase was implemented in FY 2023 and relied on outdated 2021 data, covering only a fraction of waiver services. Core programs such as group homes and day support were excluded, creating inequities and wage disparities across the system. Comprehensive rate reform, including rebasing all services to reflect real costs and workforce needs, is essential to ensure equity, prevent fragmentation, and maintain access statewide.

Support a stable, competitive disability services workforce. 
Virginia’s disability service system is experiencing a workforce crisis. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) often earn wages as low as $17 to $18 per hour, levels that still qualify for public assistance. Chronic turnover, vacancies, and inadequate regional wage differentials threaten service continuity and quality. Sustainable funding is required to support competitive wages, reduce turnover, and build a long-term workforce pipeline capable of meeting current and future needs.

Learn More

View the Proposed 2026–2028 Virginia Budget here:
https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/bill/2026/1/

For more information, please contact:
Joanne Orchant Aceto, Chair, Governmental Affairs, vaACCSES
jaceto@eggelstonservices.org | 703-731-6313