Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed $500 million investment in Virginia’s behavioral health system, which he introduced Thursday, focuses on overhauling youth behavioral health services in the state.
The initiative is part of the multiyear Right Help, Right Now plan, which is entering its second year.
Right Help, Right Now was launched in December 2022 to transform the state’s behavioral health system by addressing crisis care, substance use disorder, behavioral health workforce shortages and service delivery innovation.
In 2024, the funds will mostly be directed toward youth behavioral health services.
Mental Health America rankings from 2023 listed Virginia as 48th in the country for youth mental health and 37th for youth with substance use disorder.
“[This] demands a collective and comprehensive approach to prioritize the health of the Commonwealth’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens,” the governor’s office said in a press release.
The 2024 budget proposal includes $23 million to expand access to school-based mental health services for children, including funds to expand telehealth for kids in grades six to 12.
The investment builds on last year’s commitment of $15 million to expand elementary-, middle- and high school-based mental health programs to new communities and $9 million to expand behavioral telehealth services in public schools and on college campuses.
The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services received last year’s allocation and partnered with the Board of Education to bring behavioral health care providers into six different school divisions. Bristol’s public schools participated in the pilot program last year, said Katharine Hunter of the department’s office of child and family services.
“It’s been a really exciting program,” Hunter said. “Just the volume of applications, it’s nice to see our communities are thinking about this.”
The new allocation for 2024 will be used to expand the program with the capability to bring in more than six school systems, Hunter said.
An investment in crisis services also was included in the governor’s proposal, which lists $46 million to build out emergency room alternatives such as crisis receiving centers and stabilization units. These are intermediate services designed to treat patients before inpatient hospitalization is needed.
This announcement comes days after a study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission recommended the closure of the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents, the only psychiatric hospital for children in Virginia.
Youngkin’s office recently announced eight grant awards to increase bed space at existing crisis stabilization facilities and to modernize others. Roanoke-based Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare was among the recipients. The funds will be used to create space for about 10 more patients in its Adult Crisis Receiving Center by renovating space adjacent to the existing crisis stabilization unit.
To improve quality of care at state psychiatric facilities, the JLARC study also included a recommendation to improve employee benefits to help build a stronger workforce.
The governor’s proposed budget includes $58 million to increase salaries in state psychiatric hospitals and will include loan repayment for behavioral health workers.
The big-ticket item in the budget proposal directs $307 million to open up more developmental disability waiver slots to address the Priority One Waitlist. The Medicaid waiver program helps cover the cost of certain services for those with developmental disabilities.
In July 2023, 100 waivers were available to support those with community living support needs and 430 waivers for family and individual support services.
In October 2023, 14,941 people were waiting to get a spot on the developmental disabilities waiver list and 3,395 people who needed services as soon as possible, making up the Priority One waitlist. With the investment, there will be 3,440 slots, one slot per person on the waiting list.
Youngkin will deliver his full proposed biennial budget on Dec. 20.
