A Certificate of Public Need (COPN) is a document issued by Virginia’s Commissioner of Health to legally authorize a regulated medical care facility or project.  COPN applications are reviewed in batches, by project type.  For each batch group, two review periods exist at semiannual intervals.  The review period is generally 120 days.

Medical Care Facilities Subject to Review Under the COPN Regulations (click for PDF document)

CON Fact Sheet -- Provided by the VA Assn. of Regional Health Planning Agencies  (click for PDF document)

As a participant in Virginia’s Certificate of Public Need (COPN) review process, it is the desire of the CVHPA to work cooperatively with applicants in Central Virginia toward this mission.  Possessing limited resources and attempting to ensure an equitable process, the CVHPA has set guidelines with which all applicants are asked to comply.  Such compliance will only facilitate the review process for all parties involved.  (These guidelines are provided as a supplement to and within the regulations of the Virginia Medical Care Facilities Certificate of Public Need Rules and Regulations and the Code of Virginia as they related to the COPN review process conducted by the regional health planning and system agencies.)

Process for Certificate of Public Need Application and Review