Governor McAuliffe establishes Center for Behavioral Health and Justice

Today, March 23, Governor McAuliffe signed Executive Directive #4 to establish the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, an interagency collaborative to better coordinate behavioral health and justice services. The announcement came during the final meeting of the Governor’s Task Force for Improving Mental Health Services and Crisis Response, which originated under former Governor McDonnell and was continued by Governor McAuliffe in April 2014.

“Nearly a year ago, I asked this Task Force to continue its work and develop bold ideas to help the Commonwealth address the gaps in our behavioral health system,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Today I am proud to sign this directive making the centerpiece of their recommendations a reality. Through the Center we will achieve better coordination of programs and services, state and local governments, and our public and private sectors. This will help ensure that Virginians with behavioral health needs in our justice system are treated with dignity and receive the health care services they desperately need.”

The mission of the Center is to achieve greater behavioral health and justice coordination across public and private sectors through a collaborative, multi-systems approach to data collection and analytics; evidence based programs and practices; education, outreach and training; and technical assistance and resource development.

“I thank the Governor and his administration, the dedicated members of this Task Force, and the General Assembly for taking significant actions to address Virginia’s serious behavioral health needs throughout the last year,” said Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, Chair of the Governor’s Task Force. “The establishment of the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice is another step in the right direction that will help ensure better coordination of programs and services for years to come.”

The Task Force sent a set of 25 recommendations to the Governor in October 2014, and the Center was central to those proposals. The Joint Subcommittee on Mental Health Services in the Twenty-First Century, created via legislation in 2014, also endorsed the Center as a priority.

“Too often, when mental illness and law enforcement are mentioned in the same breath, it is in the context of a tragic situation,” said Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Bill Hazel. “Establishment of this Center for Behavioral Health and Justice shows a formal commitment to change that perception and to change outcomes for Virginians.”

“The Center is a statewide means to enhance collaboration across the criminal justice and behavioral health systems,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. “It will provide a one stop shop for access to data, information about evidence based programs and technical assistance, decreasing inappropriate incarceration, enhancing public safety and reducing stigma using sound data driven decision making.”

The directive establishes the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice and requires an Executive Leadership Council to develop an organizational structure and implementation plan for the Center by July 1, 2015. The Leadership Council will include: the Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security; the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources; the Commissioners of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of Health; and the Directors of the Departments of Corrections, Criminal Justice Services, Juvenile Justice and Medical Assistance Services.

Executive Directive 4 (2015)
ESTABLISHING THE CENTER FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND JUSTICE

During the past decade, Virginia lawmakers, the Supreme Court and Executive Branch agencies have spearheaded various efforts to identify and address the needs of persons with mental illness who become involved with the criminal justice system.  While many initiatives have demonstrated some success, significant challenges remain in ensuring coordination and collaboration across the behavioral health and criminal justice systems at local, regional and state levels.

On April 8, 2014, I issued Executive Order 12, reestablishing the Task Force for Improving Mental Health Services and Crisis Response.  Among the most significant recommendations from the Task Force is the need to create a center of excellence to collaboratively identify and utilize public and private resources to more effectively coordinate implementation of programs, policies and resources to address behavioral health needs within the Commonwealth, particularly for those individuals involved in the criminal justice system.

In order to achieve its goals of better coordination among behavioral health and justice agencies in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, the center shall pursue a collaborative, multi-systems approach in the following areas:
       
• Data collection and analytics
• Evidence-based programs and practices
• Education, outreach and training
• Technical assistance and resource development

Accordingly, I hereby direct the establishment of the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice (Center) and direct the Secretaries of Public Safety & Homeland Security and Health & Human Resources to oversee this process.  The work will be led by an Executive Leadership Council (Council) which will develop the organizational structure and an implementation plan for the Center.

The Council shall be convened by the Deputy Secretary of Public Safety & Homeland Security and the Deputy Secretary of Health & Human Resources.

The Council shall also include the Commissioners of the Department of Behavioral Health &  Developmental Services and the Department of Health, and the Directors of the Departments of Corrections, Criminal Justice Services, Juvenile Justice, and Medical Assistance Services.

The Council shall present me with an organization and implementation plan for the Center by July 1, 2015.