Who to Call: Ombudsman, APS and Complaint Lines in Hampton Roads

Last verified: October 2026. Figures and rules are re-checked against primary sources.

Which long-term care ombudsman covers my Hampton Roads locality?

The Bay Aging regional ombudsman offices cover Hampton Roads, even where the area agency on aging is a different organization. Southside localities call the Norfolk office at 757-222-4542, Peninsula localities call the Williamsburg office at 757-808-5275, and Gloucester calls the Urbanna office at 804-758-2386. The state office is 804-565-1600.

Ombudsmen advocate for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities and for people receiving long-term services at home. The service is free and independent of facilities, so a resident can raise a concern without worrying that the facility will hear it first. They investigate concerns and explain residents' rights, and they act only with the resident's or legal representative's consent.

When should I call the ombudsman instead of the state?

Call the ombudsman when a resident has a concern about care, rights, food, roommates, or a discharge notice and wants an advocate rather than an investigation. The ombudsman works on the resident's goals and needs consent. If the resident cannot decide, a legal representative can.

This route is often fastest for problems that can be solved by a conversation: a call bell that goes unanswered, a lost hearing aid, a disputed charge. If an issue turns out to be a violation of licensing rules, the ombudsman can help you take it to the licensing agency. Residents' rights are in Code of Virginia 63.2-1808 for assisted living.

How do you report abuse or neglect to Adult Protective Services in Virginia?

Call the 24-hour, toll-free APS hotline at (888) 832-3858, or contact your local department of social services. APS in Virginia is delivered by each city's or county's department of social services under state supervision. It covers adults 60 or older and incapacitated adults 18 or older who are being abused, neglected or exploited, or are at risk.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 first. APS fits situations at home or in a facility where someone is hurt, unsafe, exploited financially, or left without needed care. A neighbor worried about a widower in Suffolk who has stopped eating can call too. A reasonable concern is enough to call; investigators gather the proof.

How do I file a licensing complaint against an assisted living facility?

Call the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) Division of Licensing Programs complaint line at 1-800-543-7545. Other numbers are 276-206-0492 and 804-389-1951, and the division's website has a contact page. VDSS licensing assigns Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach to its Eastern region and Hampton and Newport News to its Peninsula region.

Use this line when you think a facility has violated licensing standards: staffing, medication handling, resident assessments or admission rules. State what happened, when, who was involved and what the facility did afterward. Adult day care centers are also licensed by VDSS. Findings may appear later in the public record described in our inspection report guide.

How do I file a complaint about a Virginia nursing home or hospice?

Call the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Licensure and Certification (OLC) complaint line at 1-800-955-1819, or (804) 367-2106 in Richmond. The OLC complaint unit covers nursing homes, hospices, home care organizations, home health agencies and hospitals. The VDH site also has an online complaint page.

The same caution applies: give dates, names and what you saw. Nursing homes face both state licensing and federal certification, covered in our nursing home oversight page. Hospital concerns at a Sentara, Riverside or Bon Secours facility also go through OLC.

Which agency should I contact first?

Match the problem to the agency. A resident who wants help resolving a concern: ombudsman. Suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation: APS, and 911 if danger is immediate. A possible assisted living or adult day violation: VDSS licensing. A nursing home, hospice, home health or hospital problem: VDH OLC.

You can use more than one. An ombudsman visit does not prevent a licensing complaint. Keep notes, copies of messages and the dates of calls, and write down the name of each person you speak with. If a loved one is being harmed right now and the matter cannot wait, call 911 before any of these lines. If you are choosing a facility rather than reporting one, start with how Virginia regulates senior care, and use the directory to find communities in your locality.