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Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
1999 SESSION
991401666WHEREAS, historically the Commonwealth of Virginia has assumed major responsibility for the provision of services for citizens with mental disabilities and substance abuse problems; and
WHEREAS, as recently as 30 years ago, the state mental health and mental retardation facilities were the major providers of care and treatment for these individuals; and
WHEREAS, the enactment of legislation in 1968 enabling the creation of local community mental health and mental retardation services boards provided the vehicle for the local operation of comprehensive community-based mental health and mental retardation services; and
WHEREAS, the average daily census at mental health and mental retardation facilities has been declining steadily at varying degrees as a result of the development of local, community-based programs to provide care and treatment outside of the facility; and
WHEREAS, while there will always be a place for facility care in any good system of services which provides a continuum of care to meet the needs of those requiring services, there is a general recognition by consumers, families, and legislative and executive committees that the person requiring services should receive those services in the community, if appropriate; and
WHEREAS, under optimum conditions, as increasing numbers of persons are discharged to the community, and treatment providers develop additional resources for community care, the need for beds at the facilities will surely decline; and
WHEREAS, as a result, facilities must review their services and undergo some form of “right-sizing” to appropriately meet the demand of the system; and
WHEREAS, it is the desired goal of the administration and the legislature to bring about an appropriate capacity of state mental health and mental retardation facilities to foster the most appropriate and cost-effective services and delivery system; and
WHEREAS, efforts to date, including a contractor’s study, have not adequately delineated an appropriate strategy to include specific actions and a timetable for such changes; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Joint Subcommittee to Evaluate the Future Delivery of Publicly Funded Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, in consultation with the Hammond Commission on Community Services and In-Patient Care, be directed to undertake a detailed review and develop a facilities downsizing and realignment plan.
All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Subcommittee for this study, upon request.
The Joint Subcommittee shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2000 Session of the General Assembly, as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.