The House Appropriations Committee provides significant funding to support the state’s behavioral health and developmental services system to ensure that individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders receive necessary services.
Funds are appropriated to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and for grants to localities, to offer treatments for mental illnesses and substance use disorders, provide forensic services (competency evaluations and restoration services, services for jail transfers, treatment for those not guilty by reason of insanity), deliver health care, residential, and rehabilitative services to individuals with development disabilities, and to offer early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
12
state facilities for behavioral health and developmental services
39
local community service boards serving each community
209,207
individuals served
Budget Overview
Virginia’s public behavioral health and developmental services system is supported through state, local, and federal funding, with the state being the largest funding provider.
| FY 2024 Funding Sources | Amount | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| State | $1,581.5 | 54% |
| Local | 672.0 | 23% |
| Fees | 672.0 | 23% |
| Federal | 218.4 | 7% |
| Other | 29.5 | 1% |
| Total | $2,927.3 |
Program/Policy Highlights
- Community Service Boards
CSBs are established by local governments and are the primary entry point into Virginia’s public behavioral health and developmental services system
- State mental and developmental health facilities
Virginia has 8 behavioral health facilities for adults (Catawba Hospital, Central State Hospital, Eastern State Hospital, Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute, Piedmont Geriatric Hospital, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute, Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute, and Western State Hospital), 1 psychiatric facility for children (Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents), 1 training center for individuals with developmental disabilities (Southeastern Virginia Training Center),1 medical center (Hiram Davis Medical Center), 1 center for behavioral rehabilitation (Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation)
These facilities support individuals with mental and behavioral health disorders when they cannot be accommodated safely within the community
- STEP-VA
Improves access to and the quality of community mental health services statewide through local Community Service Boards
Requires CSBs to provide 9 core services: Same Day Access, Outpatient Services, Primary Care Screening, Crisis Services, Peer and Family Services, Services for Service Members, Veterans, and Families, Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Care Coordination, and Case Management
- Permanent Supportive Housing
Provides affordable and stable housing and supportive services for individuals with serious mental illness who can live independently in the community
General fund appropriations to Permanent Supportive Housing support direct services, rental assistance, and client assistance costs
Virginia has funded over 3,400 Permanent Supportive Housing slots
- Crisis Services
Follows the national Crisis Now model which consists of 988 call centers for individuals in emotional distress to call, mobile crisis teams to respond to an individual in crisis, and crisis stabilization sites for short-term stabilization treatment
Virginia is in the process of building Crisis Receiving Centers (CRCs) that provide 23-hour stabilization services and can serve “walk-in” cases and law enforcement drop-offs and Crisis Stabilization Units (CSUs) that provide short-term treatment ranging from 5-14 days and can be used as an alternative to inpatient hospitalization or as a step-down service from someone getting discharged from a hospital
- Waiver Services
Helps individuals with a developmental disability receive necessary supports and services in their community, such as medical care, employment assistance, behavioral interventions, and home modifications
Virginia has 3 waivers available for individuals with a developmental disability:
The Building Independence Waiver (BI) is for individuals 18 years or older who can live independently for the most part and do not require constant support and services
The Family and Individual Supports Waiver (FIS) is for both adults and children who may live with family or in their own homes, but need additional behavioral or medical services
The Community Living Waiver (CL) is also available for both adults and children, but is for individuals who require support at all times, such as medical staff in the home
There is currently a waiting list to receive a waiver which is broken into three priority levels based on how soon an individual is expected to need a waiver slot and the accompanying services. The Priority 1 Waitlist includes individuals who will need waiver services within one year. The Priority 2 Waitlist includes individuals who will need waiver services in one to five years. The Priority 3 Waitlist includes individuals who will need waiver services in five years or longer
Community Services Boards provide screening and assessment services for individuals who may qualify to receive a waiver
Reports and Presentations
Resources and Deep Dives
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