Committee on Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports and Parks

The Committee on Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports, and Parks will convene a legislative hearing to examine the operational oversight, progress, and challenges of recreational facilities and capital improvement projects of the Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation across the Virgin Islands. The hearing will also include a legislative review of Bill No. 36-0099 addressing elder abuse response systems and a special policy discussion regarding CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) certification for the Virgin Islands’ aging and senior care facilities

BLOCK I 10:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation – Territorial Operations Review

Invited Testifier:
Vincent Roberts, Commissioner Designee, Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation

LUNCH 12:30 P.M. – 1:00 P.M.

BLOCK II 1:30 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.
Bill No. 36-0099 An act amending title 34 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 15 expanding the Elder and Dependent

Invited Testifiers:
Honorable Averil George, Commissioner, Department of Human Services
Gordon Rhea, Esq., Attorney General of the Virgin Islands, Department of Justice
Troy De Charbert-Schuster, State Director, AARP Virgin Islands
Angus Drigo, Executive Director, Disability Rights Center Virgin Islands

BLOCK III 2:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Policy Discussion – CMS Certification for Senior Living Facilities
The Committee will engage in a policy discussion on Aging focused on the current status and pathway toward achieving CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) certification for senior living and long-term care facilities in the U.S. Virgin Islands. CMS certification is essential for facilities seeking to provide care reimbursable under Medicare and Medicaid, and ensures compliance with federal standards for quality, safety, and patient rights.

The Committee will examine:
1. Where are we now? – Assessing the current certification status of senior living facilities.
2. What’s required? – Understanding CMS’s Conditions of Participation, operational manuals, and compliance criteria.
3. What’s next? – Outlining a strategic path forward for certification, facility upgrades, and access to CMS federal funding.

Invited Testifiers:
Honorable Averil George, Commissioner, Department of Human Services
Troy De Charbert-Schuster, State Director, AARP Virgin Islands
Honorable Justa Encarnacion, Commissioner, Department of Health
Junia John-Straker, CEO, Lutheran Social Services of Virgin Islands