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2021 SESSION

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SB 569 DBHDS and VSP; mobile applications, mental health and public safety.

Introduced by: Siobhan S. Dunnavant | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; Department of State Police; mobile applications; mental health and public safety. Requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to develop or obtain a mental health mobile application to facilitate the provision of crisis intervention services by licensed clinicians to individuals in the Commonwealth through calls, texts, and online chat portals. The bill requires the mobile application to be integrated with the crisis intervention phone hotline established as part of System Transformation Excellence and Performance (STEP-VA). The Secretary of Health and Human Resources is directed to promote, market, and advertise the use of such application using existing resources.

The bill also requires the Department of State Police, in coordination with the Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center, to (i) develop or obtain a public safety mobile application to enable individuals in the Commonwealth to furnish confidential tips to the Department of State Police through text, audio, images, or video concerning a suspected, anticipated, or completed criminal violation or a school-related safety concern and (ii) develop a referral system to ensure that such confidential tips are referred to the appropriate law-enforcement agency, school board, threat assessment team, or other relevant entity. The Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security is directed to promote, market, and advertise the use of such application using existing resources.

The provisions of the bill related to an application developed by DBHDS have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2021. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; Department of State Police; mobile applications; mental health and public safety. Requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to develop or obtain a mental health mobile application to facilitate the provision of crisis intervention services by licensed clinicians to individuals in the Commonwealth through calls, texts, and online chat portals. The bill requires the mobile application to be integrated with the crisis intervention phone hotline administered by a third-party provider under contract with the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and requires DMAS to provide DBHDS with data and other information necessary to ensure such integration. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources is directed to promote, market, and advertise the use of such application.

The bill also requires the Department of State Police, in coordination with the Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center, to (i) develop or obtain a public safety mobile application to enable individuals in the Commonwealth to furnish confidential tips to the Department of State Police through text, audio, images, or video concerning a suspected, anticipated, or completed criminal violation or a school-related safety concern and (ii) develop a referral system to ensure that such confidential tips are referred to the appropriate law-enforcement agency, school board, threat assessment team, or other relevant entity. The Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security is directed to promote, market, and advertise the use of such application.

The bill directs DBHDS and the Department of State Police to coordinate the development or procurement of one comprehensive mobile application or separate mobile applications.