Fact Checker

We have strength in knowledge, experience, will-power and we can help guide people through all that families experience as they navigate entering into Adulthood with their Child with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

We believe we need MORE options than currently available. We need a variety of living settings, a variety of jobs, and a variety of friends to create a full life of CHOICE for those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. And WE have stepped up to offer one NEW choice for Virginia.

There have been and will be people who have the audacity to speak against our mission or the citizens we are focused on. They have been motivated by all kinds of things and many, once educated, have flipped their mindset. We say, just ask, don’t attack/assume.

True advocates and true supporters of this population can easily see in their day to day work or just by simple observation, how much MORE we need to have as offerings for this population. Why try and limit it?

Here are some examples of comments we’ve had to FACT CHECK. We believe in empowering our supporters, families, and our future residents themselves to be prepared and confident when crossed with any negative and misinformed comments.

• ”Vanguard Landing will never accept Medicaid Waivers and won’t ever be able to.” This is 100% incorrect.

FACT: VGL has personal and professional experience on this matter. In addition, we’ve worked with the state agency, DBHDS, who is in charge of approving New Providers. They know us, they understand us. There are no problems there.

FACT: Our communication with the DBHDS has been positive and productive. When VGL is built we will submit our application for Licensure to be a New Medicaid Waiver Provider and move through their process like any new provider does. They have already expressed that VGL would have no problem being approved to be a Medicaid Provider.

•  “Vanguard Landing is just going to sequester your children and keep them shut off from the world.” Again, clearly 100% incorrect.

FACT: This doesn’t even need explanation. Any person can clearly review our website, our design, and understand the passion and the grassroots effort that IS VANGUARD LANDING, can see that is false. Just because we are not a single house in an already existing neighborhood or a few apartments in a complex – doesn’t mean we’re mysterious and scary.

• “They’re just an institution. Vanguard Landing just wants to hide your family member in the woods.” (yes, this has actually been said.)

FACT. Sadly, people who are afraid of Vanguard Landing’s competition have tried to categorize us as an old Government-run institution setting. Most of us obviously understand the difference. But just to be very clear – we will be INTEGRATED. There will be approved neuro-typical adults who choose to live on campus at Vanguard Landing. The majority will be our residents with ID/DD. We also have a very gorgeous campus designed to be interactive within itself as well as with the community.

• “What is even taking them so long?”

FACT. There could be a novel written on our Underdog Story and maybe there will be. For now, know that we founded our non profit in Fall 2011. It took us 3 years to even find the land for the project. We closed on the land in early 2014. All architects and engineers began designing and working. 2015 and 2016 Virginia Beach had horrible hurricanes that caused flooding. Out of safety and precaution, there were no new large projects approved to build UNTIL the company VB City contracted to study the local area completed their research and gave them updated Guidelines. So, while we waited, we continued to create, develop, raise money and awareness, brand ourselves, etc. We also engaged in a relationship with Virginia Housing to seek a Construction Loan and we are at the last stage with them to close on that loan soon. End of Summer 2020, that Stormwater Study was completed. Our engineers made the necessary revisions and submitted our Site Plans to the City in Spring of 2021. After a year of back and forth and more strict guidelines, we a hoping to be submitting our final plans in the coming weeks. We are also closing in on our initial Campaign Goal to raise $2.5 million to have in our bank account as “cash equity” for our Construction Loan. This money stays with Vanguard Landing and is used to build along with the Construction Loan. Once we hit our goal for the $2.5 AND we have an approved Site Plan and permits, we can close on our Construction Loan and build. We expect an 18-24 month build and then we begin moving our residents in and we will have a large Grand Opening Celebration! ALSO, on average, Intentional Communities like us across the United States, have taken a full 12 years to get under construction. Our tireless efforts and battles won are all for the 100’s of people with ID/DD, their families, friends, and future generation. That is what keeps us going and we are grateful to be where we are right now.

• “You can say goodbye to your Medicaid waivers.” 100% incorrect. You can re-read above.

FACT. There is NO harm to your Medicaid Waiver in applying and joining our waitlist. We will obviously have a lot of private pay citizens too, however there are a TON of Medicaid Waivers recipients that have no where to use them…or wish they’d have had more options on where to use them. If someone chooses VGL, they should have every right to make that choice happen for their loved one. Wouldn’t you want the same?

• “Why don’t they just use what’s already in place in VA?”

FACT. There are several options offered currently to citizens with ID/DD. However, those are not fully appropriate for ALL. Just as VGL will not be the right fit for ALL. We need the variety remember? Otherwise, it’s still a “here’s 2 choices to pick from.” (neither of which would be “ok” for your family member.)

• “There are plenty of options for those people!”

Currently, in VA, most job opportunities and living opportunities are accessed by having a Medicaid Waiver. If a family has not received this yet, and some never will because there’s a limit to state funding, of course, they have to find private pay options (most are full nationwide) or contract privately with a care giver (very hard to find.) We began our plans on a mission to help the people who don’t have access to Medicaid Waivers, aka “Private Pay.” BUT to truly be a “FULL CHOICE” option, we are willing to be a licensed Medicaid Provider, when built. We don’t understand how anyone would want to take away any new options for a very wonderful group of people.

• “Why does VGL have to be so big?”

FACT. There are lots of wonderful similar Intentional communities nationwide. We are close to them, in national advocacy organizations with them and the VP of Marbridge in Texas is in our Advisory Board.

To our parents and families – do not wait and get discouraged by someone who’s concerned about competition for their own providers or is just plain misinformed – you risk NOT having a place in Residential or Day Programming at Vanguard Landing altogether and will be left with status quo and a stressful future.

And when in doubt, ask us! We are so easy to contact, so easy to get answers. And we have HONEST ANSWERS. honest Guidance. We know that VGL isn’t the perfect fit for ALL. It’s simply a new choice.

Honestly, whoever is saying these things has NO idea how to start a project like this NOR has the strength to start and see it through to completion. FACT.

We have nothing to hide, no concerns, nothing weird or mysterious.

A very large project—-very NEW to a state like VA—-very detailed—-very grassroots—-very creative and aligned with 100s in the US.