Last week, Governor Youngkin signed the state biennial budget that goes into effect on July 1, 2022. The budget includes many notable mental health highlights:
$2,500,000 for one-time start-up costs for the Northwestern Crisis Response Center to provide crisis services for 23 hours per day, seven days per week to individuals with a mental illness.
$2,500,000 for one-time start-up costs to establish a crisis receiving center in Southwest Virginia.
$2,500,000 for one-time start-up costs to establish a crisis receiving center in Prince William County.
$10,475,000 the first year and $10,475,000 the second year to provide community crisis intervention services in each region.
$1,900,000 the first year and $1,900,000 the second year for community-based services in Health Planning Region V to delay or deter placement, or provide discharge assistance for patients in a state mental health facility.
$2,000,000 the first year and $2,000,000 the second year for statewide crisis stabilization services to delay or deter placement in a state mental health facility.
A much needed 5% salary increase in each year of the biennium for state employees and state supported local employees.
$500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year for a comprehensive statewide suicide prevention program.
$77,919,074 the first year and $117,221,375 the second year and, $4,732,000 the first year and $7,453,798 the second year from the Crisis Call Center Fund, for services by Community Services Boards and Behavioral Health Authorities for System Transformation, Excellence and Performance in Virginia (STEP-VA).
$600,000 the first year and $600,000 the second year to provide mental health first aid training to recognize and respond to mental or emotional distress.
$3,012,750 the first year for a contract with the Virginia Health Care Foundation for a pilot to remove barriers to the mental health workforce, including the payment of supervisory hours for those individuals seeking degrees in social work and counseling.
$1,671,214 the first year and $1,671,214 the second year from the Crisis Call Center Fund for costs associated with the establishment and operation of the 988 Crisis Call Center.
$7,500,000 the first year and $7,500,000 the second year for DBHDS to pursue alternative inpatient options to state behavioral health hospital care or to increase capacity in the community for patients on the Extraordinary Barriers List through projects that will reduce census pressures on state hospitals.
$8,774,784 the first year and $8,774,784 the second year for Community Services Boards and a Behavioral Health Authority to divert admissions from state hospitals by purchasing acute inpatient or community-based psychiatric services at private facilities.
$8,400,000 in the first year and $8,400,000 the second year to address census issues at state facilities by providing community-based services for children and adolescents determined clinically ready for discharge or for the diversion of admissions of children and adolescents to state facilities by purchasing acute inpatient services, step-down services, or community-based services as an alternative to inpatient care.
$6,885,488 the first year and $6,885,488 the second year to DBHDS to contract with the Virginia Mental Health Access Program to develop integrated mental health services for children.
$6,429,216 the first year and $6,429,216 the second year to DBHDS to provide alternative transportation for adults and children under a temporary detention order on a statewide basis.
$1,150,000 the first year and $1,150,000 the second year for costs of transporting individuals from state behavioral health facilities to their homes after being discharged from such facility as a result from an admission under a temporary detention order.
$2,500,000 the first year and $2,500,000 the second year for the development or acquisition of clinically appropriate housing options to provide comprehensive community-based care for individuals in state hospitals who have complex and resource-intensive needs and have been clinically determined able to move from a hospital to a more integrated setting.
$27,722,785 the first year and $27,722,785 the second year to address census issues at state facilities by providing community-based services for those individuals determined clinically ready for discharge or for the diversion of admissions to state facilities by purchasing acute inpatient or community-based psychiatric services.
$2,000,000 the first year and $3,359,416 the second year for an alternative custody program for individuals under a temporary detention order who are awaiting transport to an inpatient bed.
$752,170 the first year and $752,170 the second year to establish community support teams for the development and oversight of a continuum of integrated community settings for individuals leaving state hospitals.
$6,148,128 the first year and $6,148,128 the second year for mental health services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances, at risk for serious emotional disturbance, and/or with co-occurring disorders.
$8,400,000 the first year and $8,400,000 the second year for child psychiatry and children's crisis response services for children with mental health and behavioral disorders.
$750,000 the first year and $750,000 the second year for consumer-directed programs offering specialized mental health services that promote wellness, recovery and improved self-management.
$2,197,050 the first year and $2,197,050 the second year for jail diversion and reentry services.
$2,780,645 the first year and $2,780,645 the second year to provide outpatient clinician services to children with mental health needs.
$17,701,997 the first year and $17,701,997 the second year to provide emergency services, crisis stabilization services, case management, and inpatient and outpatient mental health services for individuals who are in need of emergency mental health services.
$10,500,000 the first year and $10,500,000 the second year for up to 32 drop-off centers to provide an alternative to incarceration for people with serious mental illness and individuals, acquired brain injury, and/or co-occurring serious mental health illness.
$1,800,000 the first year and $1,800,000 the second year for Crisis Intervention assessment centers in six unserved rural communities.
$657,648 the first year and $657,648 the second year to support CIT initiatives, including basic and advanced CIT training.
$4,000,000 the first year and $4,000,000 the second year for community-based mental health outpatient services for youth and young adults.
$42,788,710 the first year and $50,588,710 the second year for programs for permanent supportive housing (PSH) for individuals with serious mental illness plus $2,500,000 the first year and $2,500,000 the second year for PSH for individuals with serious mental illness residing in the Northern Virginia.
In addition to the above highlighted items, the expansion of the Virginia Mental Health Access Program (VMAP) was supported, and more! Click HERE to view the full Virginia biennial budget.
Thanks for your continued advocacy for mental health. Together we make a difference!