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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62490</law_id><section_number>37.2-721</section_number><catch_line>Liability of estate of the individual receiving services</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="37.2">Behavioral Health and Developmental Services</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Behavioral Health and Developmental Services</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">State Facilities</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Expenses of Care, Treatment or Training, and Maintenance</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Upon the death of any <span class="dictionary">individual</span> who is receiving or who has received services, his estate shall be liable only for the charges remaining unpaid and not more than five years past due and the unsatisfied portion of any <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> rendered by a court in a proceeding under this article. Upon the death of any <span class="dictionary">individual</span> who is receiving or who has received services, the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Department to investigate financial ability to pay expenses; assessments and contracts by Department" href="/37.2-717/">37.2-717</a>, which prohibit depleting the <span class="dictionary">individual</span>&#x2019;s estate below $500, shall after funeral expenses have no further application, and such sum may be applied to the charges of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> remaining unpaid or may be applied to the unsatisfied portion of any <span class="dictionary">judgment</span>.
		Upon the death of any <span class="dictionary">individual</span> who is receiving or who has received services in the event amounts remain unpaid for his care, treatment or training, and maintenance, the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>, having reason to believe that the <span class="dictionary">individual</span> died possessed of real or personal property from which reimbursement may be had, shall prepare and acknowledge, as deeds are acknowledged, a notice showing the name of the <span class="dictionary">individual</span> and the actual per diem cost of maintenance due and shall file the notice within four months of the date of the <span class="dictionary">individual</span>&#x2019;s death in the office of the clerk of the court in which deeds are admitted to record in the county or city in which the real or personal property is located. The <span class="dictionary">clerk of court</span> shall record this notice as a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> is recorded, indexing it in the names of the <span class="dictionary">individual</span> and the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>. The filing of this notice shall create a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> against the estate, both real and personal, of the deceased <span class="dictionary">individual</span> prior to all other claims of the same class except prior <span class="dictionary">liens</span>. No such claim shall be enforced against any real estate of the deceased <span class="dictionary">individual</span> while such real estate is occupied by the surviving spouse of the <span class="dictionary">individual</span> or while such real estate is occupied by any dependent child of the <span class="dictionary">individual</span>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 37-125.14; 1952, c. 492; 1954, c. 445; 1968, c. 477, &#xA7; 37.1-117; 1972, c. 383; 1976, c. 671; 2005, c. 716; 2012, cc. 476, 507.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
