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2000 SESSION

001148244
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 119
Offered January 21, 2000
Directing the Virginia Commission on Youth to study children and youth with serious emotional disturbance requiring out-of-home placement.
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Patrons-- Rhodes, Cantor, Christian, Darner, Hall, Hamilton, Jackson, Jones, J.C., McDonnell, Purkey and Watts; Senators: Forbes, Howell, Miller, Y.B. and Puller
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, at least one in five children and adolescents may have a diagnosable mental, emotional, or behavioral problem that can lead to school failure, alcohol or other drug use, violence, or suicide; and

WHEREAS, in June 1999, the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services estimated that approximately 90,000 children and adolescents had serious emotional disturbance and approximately 55,000 had serious emotional disturbance with extreme impairment; and

WHEREAS, in 1998, 17.4 percent of juveniles committed to Department of Juvenile Justice facilities had prior psychiatric hospitalizations; and 57 percent of the females and 47 percent of the males entering juvenile correctional centers had a designated mental health need; and

WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Services Act (CSA), Virginia's statewide system of services for troubled and at-risk youth and their families, is not meeting the needs of all children with serious emotional disturbance, particularly those children whose services are not mandated by the CSA and who fall outside of the foster care and special education systems; and

WHEREAS, there is a total of 64 beds available for the impatient hospitalization of children and adolescents in state mental health facilities in the Commonwealth, a reduction of 108 beds since 1992; and

WHEREAS, in 1998, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission determined that there were 217 children at acute or severe and recent risk who were in need of services, including out-of-home care for treatment of serious emotional disturbance, whose services were not mandated under the Comprehensive Services Act nor funded through other sources; and

WHEREAS, in 1999, the Virginia Supreme Court determined that there were 3,595 children with severe or acute and recent risk in need of services, including out-of-home care for treatment of serious emotional disturbance, whose services were not mandated under the Comprehensive Services Act nor funded through other sources; and

WHEREAS, local governments are concerned about the high cost of treating children with serious emotional disturbance, and defining and quantifying the population will have significant implications for service delivery; and

WHEREAS, any recommendation for reform to the system of care must be based on accurate, quantifiable data; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Commission on Youth be directed to study children and youth with serious emotional disturbance requiring out-of-home placement. The Commission shall develop and implement a methodology for accurately determining the number of children with serious emotional disturbance in need of out-of-home placement. Such methodology shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (i) a description of the population; (ii) a description of state and local services available in the Commonwealth; (iii) an analysis of funding sources; and (iv) an assessment of unmet needs.

During the second year of the study, the Commission shall assess the service capacity for children and youth with serious emotional disturbance in need of out-of-home placement, with the goal of suggesting reform to increase the system's effectiveness and efficiency.

RESOLVED FURTHER, That an advisory group be established to assist the Commission and to provide oversight and direction in the process. The advisory group shall be comprised of 19 members as follows: one representative from the State Executive Council for the Comprehensive Services Act; one representative from the Office of Comprehensive Services; two representatives from local Community Policy and Management Teams; two representatives from the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards, one of whom shall be a member of the Child and Family Services Council; one representative of the League of Social Services Directors; one representative from the Virginia Mental Health Planning Council; two representatives from the Virginia Municipal League; two representatives from the Virginia Association of Counties; one representative from the Virginia Mental Health Association; one representative from the Virginia Coalition of Private Provider Associations; one representative from a private psychiatric hospital; and the designees of the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services, the Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Commission for this study, upon request.

The Commission shall submit an interim report to the Governor and the 2001 Session of the General Assembly and shall submit its final findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2002 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.