Statement on Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Announcement of Closure of Hiram W. Davis Medical Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 9, 2024
Contact: Jameson Babb
Chief of Staff - Senator Lashrecse D. Aird
757-719-0287
RICHMOND, VA - Today, the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) announced the closure of the Hiram W. Davis Medical Center (HDMC) by 2027. Senator Lashrecse Aird (D- Petersburg) released the following statement:
“For 50 years Hiram W. Davis Medical Center has offered acute medical, skilled nursing, and long-term care to Virginians, but after decades of unmet infrastructure improvements, there is an increasing risk that the quality of care may be compromised and this facility may be an inadequate environment for the workforce serving them,” said Senator Aird.
“Today’s announcement by DBHDS to start the closure process of HDMC is solely a recommendation that will require significant exploration and final action by the General Assembly. As a required member of the community consensus and planning team, per Virginia Code §37.2-3.16, and the representative for HDMC, I plan to ensure that any final decision made meets the requirements for closure, is in the best interest of the patients at HDMC, their families, and the dedicated workforce at the facility.”
While serving in the House of Delegates, Lashrecse Aird demonstrated a capacity for pragmatic progressivism – championing education issues, criminal justice reform, reproductive healthcare access, and economic development. With a willingness to reach across the aisle and work bipartisan to get things done, now Senator Aird has a proven track record of legislative successes at the State Capitol.
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