What is the Uniform Assessment Instrument used for in Virginia assisted living?
The Uniform Assessment Instrument, or UAI, is the Virginia Department of Social Services' designated assessment form for anyone applying to or living in a licensed assisted living facility; it records functional, medical and cognitive needs and determines whether the person needs residential living care, assisted living care or a higher level of care.
The Uniform Assessment Instrument (UAI) is the department-designated assessment form used to decide which level of care a resident needs; a shorter private-pay version omits the financial sections.
Families tend to meet the UAI only when a facility says it must be done before move-in. It is worth asking to see the completed form, because the same document later drives the individualized service plan and any decision that the facility can no longer meet the person's needs.
| The UAI is | The UAI is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | A level-of-care assessment for assisted living | A medical diagnosis or a dementia test |
| Who uses it | VDSS-licensed facilities and public assessors | Nursing homes, which use federal assessments |
| Frequency | Before admission, yearly, and after significant change | A one-time form |
When must the UAI be completed for a Richmond assisted living resident?
The UAI must be done face to face before admission (within the 90 days before move-in), at least once a year after that, and again whenever there is a significant change in the resident's condition, such as after a hospitalization, a serious fall or a marked decline in memory.
If someone moves from another assisted living facility or long-term care setting that also uses the UAI, an existing assessment can carry over unless it is more than 12 months old or the person's condition has changed.
Within seven days before or on the day of admission the facility also prepares a preliminary plan of care, followed by a comprehensive individualized service plan built from the UAI.
Who completes the UAI for private-pay and Auxiliary Grant residents?
For a private-pay resident, the UAI can be completed by a facility staff member who has finished state-approved UAI training (with a trained administrator signing off), by an independent physician, or by a qualified public human services assessor; for public-pay residents such as Auxiliary Grant recipients it is completed by a case manager or qualified public assessor.
That distinction matters for Auxiliary Grant applicants. Their eligibility for the grant in an assisted living facility depends on an assessment by a public assessor, usually arranged through the local Department of Social Services in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield or wherever the person lives.
If you disagree with an assessment, ask who completed it, request a copy and ask for a reassessment by a different qualified assessor.
Last verified: October 2026
