MANASSAS, Va. – Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-10) dropped by Birmingham Green on July 30 to see firsthand how this nearly century-old senior care center is serving vulnerable older adults in our region—and to talk about the urgent CNA shortage affecting facilities like it across the country.
The Congressman toured the center’s Willow Oaks Assisted Living, visited with residents, chatted with staff, and even tested his reflexes in their rehab clinic. He spent time in the facility’s CNA training room, where Birmingham Green offers completely free training to help address the national shortage of Certified Nursing Assistants—a shortage that’s reached more than 100,000 positions.
Subramanyam discussed new legislation he’s supporting, the Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act, aimed at easing restrictions on CNA training programs. That’s a big deal for Birmingham Green, which offers training to its staff at no cost and helps graduates get certified to work anywhere in the U.S.
Birmingham Green is unique in Northern Virginia—it’s the only facility where 100% of the assisted living units are reserved for those on the state-run Auxiliary Grant program. Many of the residents are low-income and medically frail.
Here’s the press release:
On Wednesday, July 30th, Congressman Suhas Subramanyam visited Birmingham Green, a historic and mission-driven senior living facility located in Manassas, Virginia, that has been providing affordable, dignified care for the region’s most vulnerable older adults for nearly 100 years.
Congressman Subramanyam toured the historic campus, met with leadership and residents, and addressed urgent elder care matters, including the nationwide Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) shortage of at least 100,000 CNA’s. Also discussed was the legislation, titled the Ensuring Seniors’Access to Quality Care Act, that is anticipated to ease the administrative restrictions placed on CNA training programs, of which Birmingham Green offers its staff at no cost to encourage and enable aspiring CNA’s. The proposed legislation is co-sponsored by Senator Mark Warner and Senator Tim Scott.
As the only facility in Northern Virginia with 100% of its Willow Oaks Assisted Living units dedicated to the state-run Auxiliary Grant program, Birmingham Green serves seniors who lack resources to pay for long-term care, many of whom are medically frail, low-income, and have nowhere else to go. This makes Congressman Subramanyam’s visit even more crucial, shining a spotlight on how policy decisions directly affect facilities like Birmingham Green and the people they serve.
“I am so impressed with your dedication and commitment and the excellence with which you serve. I want you to know that I realize how hard you work, how tough the conditions can be, and that you sometimes might not feel the full appreciation you’re due. Well, I appreciate you, and you have a friend and an advocate in Washington,” said Congressman Suhas Subramanyam to CEO Birmingham Green Denise Chadwick Wright.
“Congressman Subramanyam, it means so much that you have taken the time from your schedule to be with us at Birmingham Green. Having you on campus, talking with our staff and residents, sends us the clear signal that you are aware of what we do and that you care about our work. Thank you,” stated Denise Chadwick Wright CEO Birmingham Green.
“Anytime an elected official makes it a point to see first-hand what their constituents are doing, well there’s just no substitute for that. Congressman Subramanyam, your presence speaks volumes and gives us encouragement that our voice is being heard. We really look forward to developing an on-going relationship with your office as we navigate the growing needs of senior citizens, not just here at Birmingham, but nationwide,” said Robert Hahn CAO Birmingham Green.
For more than 90 years, Birmingham Green has provided long-term care to Northern Virginians who lack the personal resources to afford it. Located on a 54-acre site in Manassas, Birmingham Green serves residents from Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Fauquier, and the City of Alexandria. As the only 100% Medicaid facility in Northern Virginia and home to Willow Oaks Assisted Living—the region’s only fully Auxiliary Grant-funded facility—Birmingham Green operates through a vital public-private partnership with local governments to close funding gaps. Recognized by Newsweek as the #1 Best Nursing Home in Northern Virginia in 2024, the organization has also earned national awards for excellence and continues to make a generational impact through compassionate, community-based care.
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