RICHMOND, Va. — Five Central Virginia nursing homes with low-quality ratings are changing ownership, as soon as next week, according to emails obtained by CBS 6 through a public records request.
The facilities being sold include Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Henrico Health and Rehabilitation Center, Parham Health Care and Rehab Center, Wonder City Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, and Westport Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.
The federal government assigns a 1-out-of-5-star overall rating or "much below average" rating to each facility, except for Henrico.
Henrico does not get scored because it's on a federal government watchlist of the country's worst performing nursing homes. Parham is also a candidate on that list. These designations essentially mean health inspectors have found repeated serious issues in those buildings.
Further, Colonial Heights has been at the center of a criminal investigation into allegations of elder abuse and neglect. In December 2024, more than a dozen staff members there were arrested. Most of the charges were later set aside as prosecutors opened a special grand jury investigation. The results of that probe have not yet been publicly disclosed. The facility previously defended its quality of care and characterized the special grand jury investigation as a legal matter that was "highly sensationalized."
Many of the facilities have also been the subject of CBS 6 investigations, as family members of residents complained about poor conditions and care.
In an email sent to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) from consultant Frank Vitello in late May, he indicated the seller was MFA, or Medical Facilities of America, and the buyer was Prestige Healthcare. In his email, Vitello said Prestige was a "great operator" with a "really solid reputation" in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
In a statement to CBS 6, Prestige's Vice President of Operations Aileen Mulvey said the company has "successfully transformed and aligned facilities" to deliver high-quality care and looks forward "to bringing that same commitment to service, care, and accountability here in Virginia."
"Drawing on years of experience supporting skilled nursing facilities and helping them achieve strong quality outcomes, our focus remains on the people who call these facilities home. We are committed to investing in high-quality staff, enhancing resident programs, investing in our local community, and ensuring every resident receives the care, attention, and support they deserve. We create communities where every resident is treated with dignity, respect, and compassion, and we look forward to doing just that in Virginia," Mulvey said.
According to federal records, Prestige has an overall quality rating of 3.5 stars, which is higher than the national average of 3.0 stars. The chain performs above average in the categories of health inspections and quality measures but slightly below average on staffing measures.
Federal records indicate the chain has 15 for-profit nursing homes in three different states within its portfolio. The company is based in Howell, New Jersey, according to its LinkedIn profile.
Prestige said the anticipated sale date for the transactions is June 30.
In his May email, Vitello said the sale was "time sensitive," and he urgently requested an expedited process to upload change in ownership documents.
In response, VDH's licensing director April Dovel wrote her office would "make every effort to fast-track the request" but needs "adequate time to process applications appropriately."
In statements to CBS 6, VDH spokesperson Logan Anderson said the agency's oversight role in this acquisition is limited to reviewing changes that affect each facility's license. Anderson said VDH has no involvement in the business transactions between the companies and no role in approving the sale. Only after a change of ownership has been completed will VDH take action to update licenses.
Anderson said this change of ownership will not be subject to a new state law taking effect July 1, which gives the health commissioner authority to approve or deny ownership changes based on an operator's history. Even after the law takes effect, the state will have to develop regulations before it can be enforced.
In a response to questions about the sale and what prompted MFA to sell these facilities, spokesperson Mindie Barnett only said, "The sale will follow all state and federal processes and regulations."
According to information previously provided by VDH, the five nursing homes last went through an ownership change in 2020 and 2021.
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