UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. __)*

                          GENESIS HEALTH VENTURES, INC.
                          -----------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                     Common Stock, par value $.02 per share
                     --------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    371912106
                                    ---------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                December 31, 2001
                                -----------------
                      (Date of Event which Requires Filing
                               of this Statement)

Check the  appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

                  [X]      Rule 13d-1(b)
                  [_]      Rule 13d-1(c)
                  [_]      Rule 13d-1(d)


*The  remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting  person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any  subsequent  amendment  containing  information  which  would  alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).

                          Continued on following pages
                               Page 1 of 10 Pages
                              Exhibit Index: Page 9





                                  SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.  371912106                                          Page 2 of 10 Pages


1        Names of Reporting Persons
         I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only)

                  ANGELO, GORDON & CO., L.P.

2        Check the Appropriate Box If a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

                                        a.     [_]
                                        b.     [X]

3        SEC Use Only

4        Citizenship or Place of Organization

                  Delaware

                            5             Sole Voting Power
Number of                                          2,107,148
  Shares
Beneficially                6             Shared Voting Power
  Owned By                                         0
    Each
Reporting                   7             Sole Dispositive Power
    Person                                         2,107,148
    With
                            8             Shared Dispositive Power
                                                   0

9        Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

                                    2,107,148

10       Check Box If the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain
         Shares (See Instructions)

                                    [_]

11       Percent of Class Represented By Amount in Row (9)

                                    5.31%

12       Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

                                    BD, IA, PN



                                  SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.  371912106                                          Page 3 of 10 Pages


1        Names of Reporting Persons
         I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only)

                  JOHN M. ANGELO

2        Check the Appropriate Box If a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

                                        a.     [_]
                                        b.     [X]

3        SEC Use Only

4        Citizenship or Place of Organization

                  UNITED STATES

                            5             Sole Voting Power
Number of                                          0
  Shares
Beneficially                6             Shared Voting Power
  Owned By                                         2,107,148
    Each
Reporting                   7             Sole Dispositive Power
    Person                                         0
    With
                            8             Shared Dispositive Power

                                                   2,107,148

9        Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

                                    2,107,148

10       Check Box If the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain
         Shares (See Instructions)

                                    [_]

11       Percent of Class Represented By Amount in Row (9)

                                    5.31%

12       Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

                                    IN, HC



                                  SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.  371912106                                          Page 4 of 10 Pages


1        Names of Reporting Persons
         I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only)

                  MICHAEL L. GORDON

2        Check the Appropriate Box If a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

                                        a.     [_]
                                        b.     [X]

3        SEC Use Only

4        Citizenship or Place of Organization

                  UNITED STATES

                            5             Sole Voting Power
Number of                                          0
  Shares
Beneficially                6             Shared Voting Power
  Owned By                                         2,107,148
    Each
Reporting                   7             Sole Dispositive Power
    Person                                         0
    With
                            8             Shared Dispositive Power
                                                   2,107,148

9        Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

                                    2,107,148

10       Check Box If the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain
         Shares (See Instructions)

                                    [_]

11       Percent of Class Represented By Amount in Row (9)

                                    5.31%

12       Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

                                    IN, HC





                                                              Page 5 of 10 Pages


Item 1(a)         Name of Issuer:

                  Genesis Health Ventures, Inc. (the "Issuer")

Item 1(b)         Address of the Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

                  101 East State Street, Kennett Square, PA  19348

Item 2(a)         Name of Person Filing:

                  The  Statement  is filed on  behalf  of each of the  following
persons (collectively, the "Reporting Persons"):

                    i)   Angelo, Gordon & Co., L.P. ("Angelo, Gordon");

                    ii)  John M. Angelo,  in his capacities as a general partner
                         of AG  Partners,  L.P.,  the sole  general  partner  of
                         Angelo,  Gordon,  as the  chief  executive  officer  of
                         Angelo, Gordon ("Mr. Angelo"); and

                    iii) Michael  L.  Gordon,  in his  capacities  as the  other
                         general partner of AG Partners,  L.P., the sole general
                         partner  of  Angelo,  Gordon,  as the  chief  operating
                         officer of Angelo, Gordon ("Mr. Gordon").

                  This statement  relates to Shares (as defined herein) held for
the accounts of Angelo,  Gordon and sixteen private  investment  funds for which
Angelo, Gordon acts as general partner and/or investment adviser.

Item 2(b)         Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence:

                  The address of the  principal  business  office of each of the
Reporting Persons is 245 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10167.

Item 2(c)         Citizenship:

                  1)       Angelo, Gordon is a Delaware limited partnership;

                  2)       Mr. Angelo is a citizen of the United States; and

                  3)       Mr. Gordon is a citizen of the United States.


Item 2(d)         Title of Class of Securities:

                  Common Stock, par value $.02 per share (the "Shares").

Item 2(e)         CUSIP Number:

                  371912106



                                                              Page 6 of 10 Pages

Item 3.           If this  statement  is filed  pursuant  to Rule  13d-1(b),  or
                  13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

                    i)   Angelo,  Gordon  is a  broker-dealer  registered  under
                         Section  15  of  the  Act  and  an  investment  adviser
                         registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers
                         Act of 1940.

                    ii)  Mr. Angelo is a control person of Angelo, Gordon.

                    iii) Mr. Gordon is a control person of Angelo, Gordon.

Item 4.           Ownership:

Item 4(a)         Amount Beneficially Owned:

                  As of December 31, 2001, each of the Reporting  Persons may be
deemed the beneficial owner of 2,107,148 Shares. This number consists of (i) 570
Shares held for the account of Angelo, Gordon and (ii) 2,106,578 Shares held for
the account of sixteen private investment funds for which Angelo,  Gordon acts a
general manager and/or investment adviser.

Item 4(b)         Percent of Class:

                  The  number of Shares of which each of the  Reporting  Persons
may be deemed to be the beneficial owner constitutes  approximately 5.31% of the
total number of Shares outstanding.

Item 4(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:

Angelo, Gordon
--------------
(i)       Sole power to vote or direct the vote:                       2,107,148

(ii)      Shared power to vote or to direct the vote                           0

(iii)     Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of        2,107,148

(iv)      Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of              0

Mr. Angelo
----------

(i)       Sole power to vote or direct the vote:                               0

(ii)      Shared power to vote or to direct the vote                   2,107,148

(iii)     Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of                0

(iv)      Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of      2,107,148

Mr. Gordon
----------

(i)       Sole power to vote or direct the vote:                               0

(ii)      Shared power to vote or to direct the vote                   2,107,148

(iii)     Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of                0

(iv)      Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of      2,107,148




                                                              Page 7 of 10 Pages


Item 5.           Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

                  This Item 5 is not applicable.

Item 6.           Ownership  of More than  Five  Percent  on  Behalf of  Another
                  Person:

                  The partners of Angelo,  Gordon have the right to  participate
in the receipt of dividends  from, or proceeds from the sale of, the  securities
held for the  account of Angelo,  Gordon in  accordance  with their  partnership
interests in Angelo, Gordon.

                  The limited  partners of (or investors in) each of the sixteen
private investment funds for which Angelo, Gordon acts as general partner and/or
investment  adviser  have the right to  participate  in the receipt of dividends
from,  or proceeds  from the sale of, the  securities  held for the  accounts of
their respective funds in accordance with their respective  limited  partnership
interests (or investment percentages) in their respective funds.

Item 7.           Identification  and  Classification  of the  Subsidiary  Which
                  Acquired the Security  Being Reported on by the Parent Holding
                  Company:

                  Angelo, Gordon is the relevant entity for which Mr. Angelo and
Mr. Gordon may each be considered a control person.

                  Angelo, Gordon is a broker-dealer  registered under Section 15
of the Act and an investment  adviser  registered under the Investment  Advisers
Act of 1940.

Item 8.           Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

                  This Item 8 is not applicable.

Item 9.           Notice of Dissolution of Group:

                  This Item 9 is not applicable.

Item 10.          Certification:

                  By signing below each of the Reporting Persons certifies that,
to the best of such person's  knowledge and belief,  the securities  referred to
above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not
acquired  and are not held for the  purpose of or with the effect of changing or
influencing  the control of the Issuer of such  securities and were not acquired
and are not  held in  connection  with or as a  participant  in any  transaction
having such purpose or effect.





                                                              Page 8 of 10 Pages

                                   SIGNATURES

After  reasonable  inquiry  and to the  best of my  knowledge  and  belief,  the
undersigned  certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct.

Date:    February 11, 2002                     ANGELO, GORDON & CO., L.P.

                                               By:      AG Partners, L.P.
                                                        Its General Partner

                                               By: /s/ Michael L. Gordon, Jr.
                                                   -----------------------------
                                               Name:  Michael L. Gordon, Jr.
                                               Title: General Partner

Date:    February 11, 2002                     JOHN M. ANGELO

                                               /s/ John M. Angelo
                                               ---------------------------------

Date:    February 11, 2002                      MICHAEL L. GORDON

                                                /s/ Michael L. Gordon
                                               ---------------------------------



                                                              Page 9 of 10 Pages

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

                                                                        Page No.
                                                                        --------

A.       Joint Filing Agreement,  dated as of February 11, 2002,
         by and among Angelo, Gordon & Co., L.P., John M. Angelo           10
         and Michael L. Gordon 10