By Norfolk Senior Advisor Care Team · September 29, 2026
- Acceptance of the Auxiliary Grant is each facility's choice. Call every candidate and ask whether it accepts the grant and has a bed open now.
- Apply through the local department of social services where your parent lived before the move. DSS has 45 days to process the application.
- The grant is $2,130 a month in 2026 and the resident keeps $87. When it falls short, try the CCC Plus Waiver, PACE or nursing home Medicaid.
How do you find Hampton Roads assisted living that accepts the Auxiliary Grant?
Build a call list and ask every facility two questions before you tour: does it accept Auxiliary Grant (AG) residents, and is a bed open now. We do not hold a verified list of which of the region's 84 licensed facilities take the grant, and acceptance changes, so only a direct answer counts.
Start with the facilities within a drive your family can manage, using the assisted living directory or the VDSS public search. Then widen the radius. Ask the local department of social services and your area agency on aging whether they keep a list of places that have recently taken AG residents. They may not, but they will know where past applicants went.
Say the payer status in the first sentence of the call. A facility that hears private pay first and the grant second may quote a different answer. Keep a log with the date, the name of the person you spoke with and the answer.
What should you ask an assisted living facility about the Auxiliary Grant?
Ask whether it accepts the grant, whether a bed is open now, and whether it accepts the grant rate as payment in full or charges anything beyond it. Then ask the question that decides most outcomes: if a private-pay resident runs out of money, can they stay and convert to the grant?
Ask how many current residents use the grant, whether any fees are due at move-in, and who pays if the bed is held while the application is pending. Ask whether the facility can meet your parent's care needs, since the grant pays a rate but does not change what the facility is licensed to provide.
Ask for the answers in writing, because a friendly phone call is not a contract and staff change. Keep the email or letter with your parent's papers. Also confirm what the personal needs allowance covers in practice: toiletries, laundry, hair care and transportation can eat an $87 allowance quickly.
| Ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Do you accept the Auxiliary Grant? | Acceptance is the facility's choice |
| Is an AG bed open now? | Beds may be limited or full |
| Will you hold the bed during the 45-day wait? | Who pays for those days |
| Can a private-pay resident convert to the grant later? | Prevents a forced move |
| Is the grant rate payment in full? | Avoids surprise charges |
How does the local DSS application work for the Auxiliary Grant in Hampton Roads?
The usual sequence is to apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if applicable, request a functional assessment, the Uniform Assessment Instrument (UAI), through the local department of social services (DSS) or the community services board, then file the AG application with local DSS. DSS has 45 days to process it.
The application goes to the DSS in the city or county where your parent lived before entering the facility. A parent in Suffolk who moves to a Virginia Beach community still applies in Suffolk. Call that office, ask for the worker who handles AG applications, and ask what documents are needed.
Bring identification, the Social Security award letter, bank statements and proof of Virginia residence. The 90-day residence rule has a close-relative exception. Forty-five days is a long wait when a hospital discharge is days away, so file early and ask the facility about holding a bed. See the Auxiliary Grant guide.
What is the personal needs allowance for Auxiliary Grant residents in Virginia?
The personal needs allowance (PNA) is $87 a month in 2026, the amount an Auxiliary Grant resident keeps for personal spending. The rest of the resident's income goes toward the facility's rate, and the grant, set at $2,130 a month in 2026, makes up the difference.
Eighty-seven dollars is meant for haircuts, clothing, a phone, small treats and gifts. Ask the facility what is included in the rate so the allowance is not spent on basics. Virginia's licensing rules require second servings and snacks at no additional charge and drinking water to be readily available.
Because the facility collects most of the income, the family should keep records of every payment and receipt. Ask DSS to write out how your parent's income would be counted so you can check it against the award letter and catch an error in the first month.
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Auxiliary Grant monthly rate | $2,130 |
| Resident personal needs allowance | $87 a month |
| Countable resources, one person | Under $2,000 |
| Countable resources, couple | Under $3,000 |
| DSS processing time | 45 days |
When is the Auxiliary Grant not enough for assisted living in Hampton Roads?
The grant falls short when no nearby facility has an open AG bed, when a person needs more care than the facility can provide, or when income or savings exceed the limits. At $2,130 a month it also sits well below the $6,944 Virginia median for private assisted living, which is why many facilities decline it.
Other routes exist. The Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus (CCC Plus) Waiver can pay for care at home for people who meet nursing facility level of care. PACE centers in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News serve many ZIP codes, though none serves Williamsburg, James City County, upper York County or Gloucester. Veterans may add Aid and Attendance.
If your parent needs nursing facility care, nursing home Medicaid has its own rules, including a $40 monthly personal needs allowance and an income cap that is separate from the grant. Read about both programs here: see the CCC Plus Waiver and nursing home Medicaid.
Who in Hampton Roads can help a family find an Auxiliary Grant bed?
Start with your area agency on aging: Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia at 757-461-9481 for Southside localities, and Peninsula Agency on Aging at 757-873-0541 for the Peninsula. The local DSS handles the application itself, and the regional ombudsman can explain residents' rights once your parent has moved in.
Our directory can help you build a call list. Norfolk Senior Advisor is paid by communities when a referred family moves in, which is a conflict of interest you should keep in mind, so verify every community's grant policy with the community itself and not with us.
Start early and call widely. A family that has called twelve facilities has a better picture than a family that called three, and the calls get faster once you have your script. For common questions about eligibility, see our questions page, and ask the worker at DSS to confirm anything specific to your parent's finances.
Frequently asked questions
Can my parent get the Auxiliary Grant if they already live in a facility?
Possibly, if the facility accepts the grant and your parent meets the income, resource and residence rules. Ask the facility before the money runs low, and apply through local DSS. Some facilities do not keep residents who convert, so get the policy in writing.
How long does the Auxiliary Grant take to approve?
DSS has 45 days to process an application once it is filed. Gathering documents and the assessment can add time before that. Start the paperwork as soon as you suspect the grant may be needed, not when private funds run out.
Does the Auxiliary Grant pay for memory care?
The grant pays toward assisted living, and a special care unit is part of some assisted living facilities. Whether a given unit accepts the grant is that facility's choice, so ask. Do not assume that a secure unit takes the grant.
What if every facility I call turns down the Auxiliary Grant?
Widen the search to the next city, ask DSS and the area agency on aging for leads, and ask about care at home with the CCC Plus Waiver or a PACE center if your ZIP code is covered. We can also help you think through options.
