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2017 SESSION

17105898D
SENATE BILL NO. 1005
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Joint Conference Committee
on February 25, 2017)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Hanger)
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 37.2-500 and 37.2-601 of the Code of Virginia, relating to community services boards and behavioral health authorities; services to be provided.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 37.2-500 and 37.2-601 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 37.2-500. Purpose; community services board; services to be provided.

A. The Department, for the purposes of establishing, maintaining, and promoting the development of mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services in the Commonwealth, may provide funds to assist any city or county or any combinations of cities or counties or cities and counties in the provision of these services. Every county or city shall establish a community services board by itself or in any combination with other cities and counties, unless it establishes a behavioral health authority pursuant to Chapter 6 (§ 37.2-600 et seq.). Every county or city or any combination of cities and counties that has established a community services board, in consultation with that board, shall designate it as an operating community services board, an administrative policy community services board or a local government department with a policy-advisory community services board. The governing body of each city or county that established the community services board may change this designation at any time by ordinance. In the case of a community services board established by more than one city or county, the decision to change this designation shall be the unanimous decision of all governing bodies.

B. The core of services provided by community services boards within the cities and counties that they serve shall include emergency:

1. Emergency services;

2. Same-day mental health screening services;

3. Outpatient primary care screening and monitoring services for physical health indicators and health risks and follow-up services for individuals identified as being in need of assistance with overcoming barriers to accessing primary health services, including developing linkages to primary health care providers; and, subject

4. Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, case management services.

C. The core of services may include a comprehensive system of inpatient, outpatient, day support, residential, prevention, early intervention, and other appropriate mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services necessary to provide individualized services and supports to persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, or substance abuse. Community services boards may establish crisis stabilization units that provide residential crisis stabilization services.

D. In order to provide comprehensive mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services within a continuum of care, the community services board shall function as the single point of entry into publicly funded mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services.

§ 37.2-601. Behavioral health authorities; purpose.

A. The Department, for the purposes of establishing, maintaining, and promoting the development of behavioral health services in the Commonwealth, may provide funds to assist certain cities or counties in the provision of these services.

B. The governing body of the Cities of Virginia Beach or Richmond or the County of Chesterfield may establish a behavioral health authority and shall declare its intention to do so by resolution.

C. The behavioral health services provided by behavioral health authorities within the cities or counties they serve shall include emergency:

1. Emergency services;

2. Same-day mental health screening services;

3. Outpatient primary care screening and monitoring services for physical health indicators and health risks and follow-up services for individuals identified as being in need of assistance with overcoming barriers to accessing primary health services, including developing linkages to primary health care providers; and, subject

4. Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, case management services.

D. The behavioral health services may include a comprehensive system of inpatient, outpatient, day support, residential, prevention, early intervention, and other appropriate mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services necessary to provide individualized services and supports to persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, or substance abuse. Behavioral health authorities may establish crisis stabilization units that provide residential crisis stabilization services.

E. In order to provide comprehensive mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services within a continuum of care, the behavioral health authority shall function as the single point of entry into publicly funded mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services.

2. That the provisions of the first enactment of this act shall become effective on July 1, 2019.

3. That, effective July 1, 2021, the core of services provided by community services boards and behavioral health authorities within cities and counties that they serve shall include, in addition to those set forth in subdivisions B 1, 2, and 3 of § 37.2-500 of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act, and subdivisions C 1, 2, and 3 of § 37.2-601 of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act, respectively, (i) crisis services for individuals with mental health or substance use disorders, (ii) outpatient mental health and substance abuse services, (iii) psychiatric rehabilitation services, (iv) peer support and family support services, (v) mental health services for members of the armed forces located 50 miles or more from a military treatment facility and veterans located 40 miles or more from a Veterans Health Administration medical facility, (vi) care coordination services, and (vii) case management services.

4. That the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall report by December 1 of each year to the General Assembly regarding progress in the implementation of the provisions of this act.