Virginia’s public behavioral health (mental health or substance use disorder) and developmental services system consists of 13 state-operated facilities and 40 locally-run community services boards (CSBs), one of which is a behavioral health authority in Richmond.  CSBs provide an array of emergency, local inpatient, outpatient, case management, day support, employment, residential, and wellness and prevention services to adults with serious mental illnesses, children who have or are at risk of serious emotional disturbance, individuals with intellectual disability or who are receiving Medicaid developmental disability waiver services, or individuals with substance use disorders.

Virginia operates 13 facilities: eight behavioral health facilities for adults, two training centers, a psychiatric facility for children and adolescents, a medical center, and a center for behavioral rehabilitation. State facilities provide highly structured, intensive services for individuals with mental illness, intellectual disability or are in need of substance use disorder services.

In the evolutionary movement towards a single, integrated system of care, increased emphasis has been placed on the establishment of community services and on the more effective and efficient use of state facilities. This emphasis has defined the role of state facilities as one of several resources in an overall continuum of care. Patients are initially evaluated and referred to the mental health facilities by staff from Community Services Boards (CSBs). Pre-admission screening services are provided by CSBs on a 24-hours per day, 7 days per week basis. 

For admission to state facilities, individuals are initially evaluated by and referred from local CSBs.  Follow this link for more information about this behavioral health and developmental services system.

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) supports the provision of accessible and effective services and supports by CSBs and other providers and directs the delivery of services and supports in state hospitals and training centers.  It also protects the human rights of individuals receiving services and assures public and providers adhere to its licensing regulations.