Authority: Title 37.2, Chapters 5 and 6; Title 2.2, Chapter 53, Code of Virginia.
A. It is the intent of the General Assembly that community mental health, intellectual disability and substance abuse services are to be improved throughout the state. Funds provided in this Item shall not be used to supplant the funding effort provided by localities for services existing as of June 30, 1996.
B. Further, it is the intent of the General Assembly that funds appropriated for this Item may be used by Community Services Boards to purchase, develop, lease, or otherwise obtain, in accordance with §§ 37.2-504 and 37.2-605, Code of Virginia, real property necessary to the provision of residential services funded by this Item.
C. Out of the appropriation for this Item, funds are provided to Community Services Boards in an amount sufficient to reimburse the Virginia Housing Development Authority for principal and interest payments on residential projects for the mentally disabled financed by the Housing Authority.
D. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall make all general fund payments to the Community Services Boards from this Item in twenty-four equal semimonthly installments, except for necessary budget revisions or the operational phase-in of new programs.
E. Failure of a board to participate in Medicaid covered services and to meet all requirements for provider participation shall result in the termination of a like amount of state grant support.
F. Community Services Boards may establish a line of credit loan for up to three months' operating expenses to assure adequate cash flow.
G. Out of this appropriation $190,000 the first year and $190,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to Virginia Commonwealth University for the continued operation and expansion of the Virginia Autism Resource Center.
H.1. Out of this appropriation, $29,152,884 the first year and $29,152,884 the second year from the general fund shall be provided for Virginia's Part C Early Intervention System for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
2. By November 15 of each year, the department shall report to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees on the (a) total revenues used to support Part C services, (b) total expenses for all Part C services, (c) total number of infants, toddlers and families served using all Part C revenues, and (d) services provided to those infants, toddlers, and families.
I. Out of this appropriation $6,148,128 the first year and $6,148,128 the second year from the general fund shall be provided for mental health services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances, at risk for serious emotional disturbance, and/or with co-occurring disorders with priority placed on those children who, absent services, are at-risk for removal from the home due to placement by a local department of social services, admission to a congregate care facility or acute care psychiatric hospital or crisis stabilization facility, commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice, or parental custody relinquishment. These funds shall be used exclusively for children and adolescents, not mandated for services under the Children's Services Act. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall provide these funds to Community Services Boards through the annual Performance Contract. The Community Services Boards shall develop a Mental Health Initiative funding plan in collaboration with the local Family and Assessment Planning Teams and/or Community Policy and Management Team. The funding plan shall be approved by the Community Policy and Management Teams of the localities. The department shall provide these funds to the Community Services Boards based on a funding methodology.
J. Out of this appropriation, $13,800,000 the first year and $13,800,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide child psychiatry and children's crisis services for children with behavioral health needs. These funds, divided among the health planning regions based on the current availability of the services, may be used to hire or contract with child psychiatrists who can provide direct clinical services, including crisis services, as well as training and consultation with other children's health care providers in the health planning region. Funds may also be used to create new or enhance existing community-based crisis services in a health planning region. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall include details on the use of these funds in its annual report on the System Transformation, Excellence and Performance in Virginia (STEP-VA) process.
K. Out of this appropriation, $2,780,645 the first year and $2,780,645 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide outpatient clinician services to children with mental health needs. Each Community Services Board shall receive funding as determined by the commissioner to increase the availability of specialized mental health services for children. The department shall require that each Community Services Board receiving these funds agree to cooperate with Court Service Units in their catchment areas to provide services to mandated and nonmandated children, in their communities, who have been brought before Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts and for whom treatment services are needed to reduce the risk these children pose to themselves and their communities or who have been referred for services through family assessment and planning teams through the Children's Services Act.
L. Out of this appropriation, $2,750,000 the first year and $2,750,000 the second year from the general fund shall be for crisis services for children with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
M. Out of this appropriation, $4,000,000 the first year and $4,000,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used for community-based mental health outpatient services for youth and young adults.
N. The Commissioner, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall allocate $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year from the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant for two specialized geriatric mental health services programs. One program shall be located in Health Planning Region II and one shall be located in Health Planning Region V. The programs shall serve elderly populations with mental illness who are transitioning from state mental health geriatric units to the community or who are at risk of admission to state mental health geriatric units. The commissioner is authorized to reduce the allocation in each year in an amount proportionate to any reduction in the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funds awarded to the Commonwealth.
O. The Commissioner, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall allocate $750,000 the first year and $750,000 the second year from the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant for consumer-directed programs offering specialized mental health services that promote wellness, recovery and improved self-management. The commissioner is authorized to reduce the allocation in each year in an amount proportionate to any reduction in the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funds awarded to the Commonwealth.
P. Out of this appropriation, $17,701,997 the first year and $17,701,997 the second year from the general fund shall be used 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 or who meet the criteria for mental health treatment set forth pursuant to §§ 19.2-169.6, 19.2-176, 19.2-177.1, 37.2-808, 37.2-809, 37.2-813, 37.2-815, 37.2-816, 37.2-817 and 53.1-40.2 of the Code of Virginia. Funding provided in this item also shall be used to offset the fiscal impact of (i) establishing and providing mandatory outpatient treatment, pursuant to House Bill 499 and Senate Bill 246, 2008 Session of General Assembly; and (ii) attendance at involuntary commitment hearings by community services board staff who have completed the prescreening report, pursuant to §§ 19.2-169.6, 19.2-176, 19.2-177.1, 37.2-808, 37.2-809, 37.2-813, 37.2-815, 37.2-816, 37.2-817 and 53.1-40.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Q. Out of this appropriation, $10,475,000 the first year and $10,475,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide community crisis intervention services in each region for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health or behavioral disorders.
R. Out of this appropriation, $1,900,000 the first year and $1,900,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used for community-based services in Health Planning Region V. These funds shall be used for services intended to delay or deter placement, or provide discharge assistance for patients in a state mental health facility.
S. Out of this appropriation, $2,197,050 the first year and $2,197,050 the second year from the general fund shall be used for jail diversion and reentry services. Funds shall be distributed to community-based contractors based on need and community preparedness as determined by the commissioner.
T.1. Out of this appropriation, $10,500,000 the first year and $10,500,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used for up to 32 drop-off centers to provide an alternative to incarceration for people with serious mental illness and individuals with acquired brain injury and co-occurring serious mental health illness. Priority for new funding shall be given to programs that have implemented Crisis Intervention Teams pursuant to § 9.1-102 and § 9.1-187 et seq. of the Code of Virginia and have undergone planning to implement drop-off centers.
2. Out of this appropriation, $1,800,000 the first year and $1,800,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for Crisis Intervention assessment centers in six unserved rural communities.
3. Out of this appropriation, $657,648 the first year and $657,648 the second year from the general fund is provided to support CIT initiatives, including basic and advanced CIT training and law enforcement diversion, through one-time awards for advanced concepts in CIT Assessment Site programs. The department shall prioritize programs serving rural communities when determining the distribution of these funds.
U. Out of this appropriation, $3,700,800 the first year and $3,700,800 the second year from the general fund is provided for discharge planning at jails for individuals with serious mental illness. Funding shall be used to create staff positions in Community Services Boards may also be used for emergency client assistance resources and will be implemented in at least five jails with a high percentage of inmates with serious mental illness.
V. Out of this appropriation, $708,663 the first year and $708,663 the second year from the general fund is provided to establish an Intercept 2 diversion program in up to three rural communities. The funding shall be used for staffing and to provide access to treatment services
W. Out of this appropriation, $35,500,411 the first year and $35,500,411 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide community-based services or acute inpatient services in a private facility to individuals residing in state hospitals who have been determined clinically ready for discharge, and for continued services for those individuals currently being served under a discharge assistance plan. Of this appropriation, $1,305,000 the first year and $1,305,000 the second year shall be allocated for individuals currently or previously residing at Western State Hospital.
X. Out of this appropriation, $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to increase mental health inpatient treatment purchased in community hospitals. Priority shall be given to regions that exhaust available resources before the end of the year in order to ensure treatment is provided in the community and does not result in more restrictive placements.
Y.1. Out of this appropriation, $83,588,710 the first year and $83,588,710 the second year from the general fund is provided for programs for permanent supportive housing for individuals with serious mental illness.
2. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall report on the number of individuals who are discharged from state behavioral health hospitals who receive supportive housing services, the number of individuals who are on the hospitals' extraordinary barrier list who could receive supportive housing services, and the number of individuals in the community who receive supportive housing services and whether they are at risk of institutionalization. In addition, the department shall report on the average length of stay in permanent supportive housing for individuals receiving such services and report how the funding is reinvested when individuals discontinue receiving such services. The report shall be provided to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee by November 1 of each year.
3. In addition to the amounts provided in Y.1., $2,500,000 the first year and $2,500,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for permanent supportive housing for individuals with serious mental illness residing in the Northern Virginia region.
Z. Out of this appropriation, $17,185,533 the first year and $17,185,533 the second year from the general fund shall be used for a program of rental subsidies for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
AA. Out of this appropriation, $3,433,727 the first year and $3,433,727 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide permanent supportive housing to pregnant or parenting women with substance use disorders.
BB. Out of this appropriation, $5,000,000 the first year and $5,000,000 the second year from the general fund is provided to increase access to medication assisted treatment for individuals with substance use disorders. In expending this amount, the department shall ensure that a portion of the funding received by the Community Services Board or Behavioral Health Authority is used for appropriate long-acting, injectable prescription drug treatment regimens for individuals who are in need of medication assisted treatment while (i) on probation, (ii) incarcerated, or (iii) upon their release to the community. The department shall ensure that a portion of the funding received by the Community Services Board or Behavioral Health Authority is used for non-narcotic, non-addictive prescription drug treatment regimens for individuals who are not able for clinical or other reasons to participate in buprenorphine or methadone-based drug treatment regimens. In expending the funding, Community Services Boards or a Behavioral Health Authority shall also prioritize the use of such funds for individuals who are not covered by insurance.
CC. Out of this appropriation, $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for community detoxification and sobriety services for individuals in crisis.
DD. Out of this appropriation, $2,400,000 the first year and $2,400,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used for treatment and support services for substance use disorders, including individuals with acquired brain injury and co-occurring substance use disorders. Funded services shall focus on recovery models and the use of best practices.
EE. Out of this appropriation, $880,000 the first year and $880,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for one regional, multi-disciplinary team for older adults. This team shall provide clinical, medical, nursing, and behavioral expertise and psychiatric services to nursing facilities and assisted living facilities.
FF. Out of this appropriation, $2,250,447 the first year and $2,250,447 the second year from the general fund shall be used to divert admissions from state hospitals by purchasing acute inpatient or community-based psychiatric services at private facilities.
GG. Out of this appropriation, $620,000 the first year and $620,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used for telepsychiatry and telemedicine services.
HH. Out of this appropriation, $1,100,000 the second year from the general fund is provided to establish the Appalachian Telemental Health Initiative, a telemental health pilot program. Any funds that remain unspent at the end of each fiscal year shall be carried forward to the subsequent fiscal year for these purposes.
II. Out of this appropriation, $200,000 the first year and $200,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to contract with Best Buddies Virginia to expand inclusion services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to the Richmond and Virginia Beach areas of the state.
JJ. Out of this appropriation, $200,000 the first year and $200,000 the second year from the general fund is provided to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board to fully fund its Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) Team.
KK.1. Out of this appropriation, $122,992,845 the first year and $125,689,865 the second year from the general fund and $10,150,818 the first year and $7,453,798 the second year from the Crisis Call Center Fund is provided for services by Community Services Boards and Behavioral Health Authorities pursuant to the System Transformation, Excellence and Performance in Virginia (STEP-VA) process and Chapters 607 and 683, 2017 Acts of Assembly.
2. Of the amounts in KK.1., $13,134,321 the first year and $13,134,321 the second year from the general fund is provided for same day access to mental health screening services.
3. Of the amounts in KK.1., $9,051,734 the first year and $9,051,734 the second year from the general fund is provided for primary care outpatient screening services.
4. Of the amounts in KK.1., $27,855,453 the first year and $27,855,453 the second year from the general fund is provided for outpatient mental health and substance use services.
5. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $2,000,000 the first year and $2,000,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for crisis detoxification services.
6. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $28,730,139 the first year and $28,730,139 the second year from the general fund is provided for crisis services for individuals with mental health or substance use disorders.
7. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $4,242,364 the first year and $4,242,364 the second year from the general fund is provided for military and veterans services.
8. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $5,814,558 the first year and $5,814,558 the second year from the general fund is provided for peer support and family services.
9. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $10,962,375 the first year and $10,962,375 the second year from the general fund is provided for the ancillary costs of expanding services at Community Services Boards and Behavioral Health Authorities.
10. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $2,697,020 the second year from the general fund and $10,150,818 the first year and $7,453,798 the second year from the Crisis Call Center Fund is provided for crisis call center dispatch staff.
11. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $3,970,250 the first year and $3,970,250 second year from the general fund is provided for psychiatric rehabilitation services.
12. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $6,844,427 the first year and $6,844,427 the second year from the general fund is provided for care coordination services.
13. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $4,259,924 the first year and $4,259,924 the second year from the general fund is provided for STEP-VA-specific case management services.
14. Out of the amounts in KK.1., $937,300 the first year and $937,300 the second year from the general fund is provided for regional management of STEP-VA services.
15. Out of the amounts in KK.1. $5,190,000 the first year and $5,190,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for grants to Community Services Boards for the cost of transitioning data systems and clinical processes.
LL. Out of this appropriation, $9,600,000 the first year and $10,200,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to establish mental health awareness response and community understanding services alert system programs and community care teams pursuant to legislation adopted in the 2020 Special Session I of the General Assembly. Each local or regional implementation area program shall receive $600,000 each year for this purpose. Notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 37.2-311.1, Code of Virginia, any requirement to establish community care teams may be met by the establishment of mobile crisis units.
MM. The Department of Behavioral and Health and Developmental Services shall have the authority to promulgate emergency regulations for the Individual and Family Supports Program (IFSP) to ensure an annual public input process that shall include a survey of needs and satisfaction in order to establish plans for the disbursement of IFSP funding in consultation with the IFSP State Council. Based on the Council's recommendation and information gathered during the public input period, the department will draft program guidelines to establish annual funding priorities. The department will establish program criteria for each of the required program categories and publish them as part of the Annual Funding Program Guidelines. Additionally, program guidelines shall establish eligibility criteria, the award process, appeals processes, and any other protocols necessary for ensuring the effective use of state funds. All criteria will be published prior to opening the funding opportunity.
NN. Out of this appropriation, $650,000 the first year and $650,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to expand and provide additional support to existing mental health dockets.
OO. Out of this appropriation, $5,000,000 the first year and $5,000,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for substance use disorder-specific training of the intellectual disability and developmental disability provider workforce, the development and implementation of substance use disorder treatment services specific to transition age youth up the age of 25, and additional critical substance use disorder services related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PP. Out of this appropriation, $2,000,000 the first year and $2,000,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used for crisis stabilization and related services statewide intended to delay or deter placement in a state mental health facility.
QQ.1. Out of this appropriation, $9,000,000 the first year and $9,000,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided for the costs of Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Centers or Crisis Stabilization Units that have expanded, or intend to expand, to 23 hour crisis receiving or observation centers.
2.Out of the amounts appropriated in paragraph QQ.1. of this item, an amount necessary to develop and implement a crisis receiving center serving adults ages 18 and older in the Region 2000 area (Amherst County, Appomattox County, Bedford County, Campbell County, and Lynchburg City) shall be allocated for this purpose by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, which shall contract with Horizon Behavioral Health to implement the crisis receiving center. As part of the contract with Horizon Behavioral Health, the department shall require the establishment of an advisory board with law enforcement representatives from the Region 2000 localities to oversee, including financial oversight, and provide governance of the crisis receiving center.
3. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall ensure that health systems, hospitals, and other community providers are eligible to participate in developing and implementing 23-hour crisis receiving or observation centers.
RR. Out of this appropriation, $36,000,000 the first year and $36,000,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for the costs of compensation increases given to Community Services Boards or a Behavioral Health Authority staff as of January 1, 2024. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services may fund up to 100 percent of the costs of the compensation increase.
SS. Out of this appropriation, $3,433,525 the first year and $3,302,053 the second year from the general fund is provided for peer wellness stay programs.
TT. Out of this appropriation, $2,500,000 the first year and $2,500,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for Community Services Boards to hire additional staff for crisis stabilization units whose bed capacity is not fully utilized due to lack of staff.