For the last few years, Virginia has been dumping millions of dollars for recovery housing into the hands of a few sober home owners and operators — organized as the Virginia Association of Recovery Residences (VARR) — and relying on them to fairly distribute the money to recovery homes throughout the state.
Since January 2023, this project has been following overwhelming sums of that money into recovery housing companies that line the pockets of VARR leaders, including one owned by the executive director’s wife.
Now, things might be changing.
VARR’s biggest pot of money — the $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding — is already gone.
But the organization has also been receiving a yearly allotment through the state general fund — money that flows to VARR through the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS).
And this year’s budget bill removes VARR from the process of handing out the money:
L.1. Out of this appropriation, $1,950,000 the first year and $1,950,000 the second year is provided to make grants to
membersoftheVirginiaAssociationofRecoveryResidences(VARR)recovery residences certified by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services for recovery support services.TheassociationmustensurethatmembersaccreditedbytheCouncilonAccreditationofPeerRecoverySupportServices(CAPRSS)receiveashareofthesefunds.VARRGrantees of these funds will comply in a timely manner with all requirements of the agreement entered intobetweenVARRandwith the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services as a result of this appropriation. Any violations of the agreement shall be reported to the Chairs of House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees within thirty days of their occurrence.VARRGrantees shall report monthly to the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services providing financial and operational documentation for services provided,includingdocumentationandservicesprovidedbyOxford Homes. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall report annually to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees by August 1 on the distribution and use of the funds authorized in this paragraph.2. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall monitor credentialed recovery homes for regulatory compliance and consult with
theVirginiaAssociationofRecoveryResidencescredentialed entities designated in §37.2-431.1 to keep the agency’s public website’s list of credentialed recovery homes up to date.3. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services may expand the buildout of recovery residences by initiating a bidding process by entity to ensure coverage across the Commonwealth for this support service.
Update: Youngkin’s proposed changes were approved with the final budget May 2.
Scroll below to view investigative stories in The Parham Papers series, or visit the homepage to explore all articles, including legislative updates.
As a recovery house operator, I say THANK YOU!!!!! It is about time. Removing VARR and their unethical practices from the equation is only the first step. Putting practices in place that protect and help the people we ETHICAL operators are trying to help – and make EVERYONE follow the same standards will be the next step.
Seeing how VARR would hold different operators to different standards (I saw this FIRST HAND, over and over) was appalling.
Just one example of MANY I can give: https://recovery-housing.org/search/#/facility/31349
This men’s house has ONE bathroom and 10 beds. TEN. I know this for a fact for I have had a resident that was there at one time. How did this house get VARR certified and it NOT be in the 6 to 1 bed to full bathroom ratio? Look at who is the company that runs the house, then look to see who is on the VARR board. There is just OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE some get to play by different rules than others. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. Anthony can say it is a giraffe all he wants. It is a duck, Anthony. We can see through your BS.
Signed
-an ethical operator who actually plays by the rules
Never forget that someone was murdered at a Real Life “sober” home owned and operated by Real Life and Sarah Scarborough
https://www.wtvr.com/news/problem-solvers/problem-solvers-investigations/he-went-to-a-recovery-house-to-get-his-life-back-the-house-manager-allegedly-killed-him
Thank you!
YES! You are amazing!!Respectfully, Colette Christianson 804-467-1838Your “I CAN” is more important than your IQ—Rob
This is cause for celebration!!!🎉
Thank you Gov. Younkin for insight to the previous problem!
Frank H., Angela Deery & Family
Great Job Christa
Christa you are a hero for the sick and suffering and their families. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Many thanks for this timely, valuable information.