Adult Mental Health
| Bills | Committee | Last action | Date |
| HB 1391 - Gooditis - Social Media, Commission on; established, report. | (H) Committee on Rules | (H) Tabled in Rules (12-Y 5-N) | 01/31/23 |
| notes: Establishes the 20-member Commission on Social Media in the legislative branch to study and make recommendations on the impacts and harms to citizens caused by social media platforms hosting or amplifying content that includes threats or suggestions of physical violence or danger toward citizens, institutions, groups, associations, or physical structures of the Commonwealth. The Commission will study the impact on citizens of dangerous and violent rhetoric, threats, harassment, doxing, intimidation, misinformation, disinformation, defamation, and deceptive practices of social media companies. The Commission will also study the impact of certain practices by social media companies, such as algorithmic amplification and target advertising, on citizens. The bill requires the Commission to report annually to the General Assembly on its activities and provides that the Commission will sunset on July 1, 2026. | |||
| HB 1433 - Scott, P.A. - Counseling Compact; licensure of professional counselors. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions (S) Committee on Education and Health | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0684) | 03/27/23 |
| notes: Authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to the Counseling Compact. The Compact permits eligible licensed professional counselors to practice in Compact member states, provided that they are licensed in at least one member state. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2024, and directs the Board of Counseling to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The Compact takes effect when it is enacted by a tenth member state. | |||
| HB 1524 - Coyner - Va. Opioid Use Reduction & Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment & Transition Fund; created. | (H) Committee on Appropriations (S) Committee on Rules | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0649) | 03/26/23 |
| notes: Establishes the Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund to be administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services for the purpose of funding and supporting the planning and implementation of locally administered jail-based addiction recovery and substance use disorder treatment and transition programs in local and regional jails. | |||
| HB 1525 - Coyner - Peer recovery specialists; barrier crime exceptions. | (H) Committee on Appropriations (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0138) | 03/21/23 |
| notes: Permits the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, direct care service providers, and community boards to hire peer recovery specialists who have been convicted of certain barrier crimes where a history of such offense does not pose a risk in the work of a peer recovery specialist. | |||
| HB 1534 - Clark - Loan repayment programs; creates program for mental health professionals. | (H) Committee on Appropriations | (H) Left in Appropriations | 02/07/23 |
| notes: Creates a loan repayment program for persons who have worked as mental health professionals in the Commonwealth for at least five years. | |||
| HB 1561 - Watts - Arrest/prosecution of individual experiencing mental health emerg.; assault against law enforcement. | (H) Committee for Courts of Justice | (H) Left in Courts of Justice | 02/07/23 |
| notes: Provides that no individual shall be subject to arrest or prosecution for an assault or assault and battery against a law-enforcement officer if at the time of the assault or assault and battery (i) the individual (a) is experiencing a mental health emergency or (b) meets the criteria for issuance of an emergency custody order pursuant to § 37.2-808 and (ii) the law-enforcement officer subject to the assault or assault and battery was responding to a call for service requesting assistance for such individual. The bill provides that no law-enforcement officer acting in good faith shall be found liable for false arrest if it is later determined that the person arrested was immune from prosecution. | |||
| HB 1716 - Clark - Mental health resources; inclusion on Job Safety and Health Protection poster. | (H) Committee on Commerce and Energy | (H) Left in Commerce and Energy | 02/07/23 |
| notes: Directs the Safety and Health Codes Board within the Department of Labor and Industry to include mental health resources from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services on the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Program's Job Safety and Health Protection poster that employers are required to keep posted in the workplace. | |||
| HB 1792 - Ransone - Temp. detention in hospital; testing, etc., mental/physical condition resulting from intoxication. | (H) Committee for Courts of Justice (S) Committee on Education and Health | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0174) | 03/22/23 |
| notes: Clarifies that in the case where a mental or physical condition is a result of intoxication, a licensed physician who has attempted to obtain informed consent of an adult person for treatment of such mental or physical condition resulting from intoxication may seek an order from the magistrate or court in the jurisdiction where the respondent is located authorizing temporary detention of the adult person in a hospital emergency department or other appropriate facility for testing, observation, or treatment, provided that certain conditions are met. | |||
| HB 1872 - Scott, P.A. - Professional counselors; licensure without examination. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions | (H) Left in Health, Welfare and Institutions | 02/07/23 |
| notes: Allows the Board of Counseling to issue a license to practice as a professional counselor without examination to an applicant seeking initial licensure or renewal of such license and who satisfies all other education, experience, and fitness to practice requirements set forth in regulation and who is qualified to practice professional counseling. | |||
| HB 1900 - Hope - Behavioral health and developmental services; provisional licenses issued to providers. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions (S) Committee on Education and Health | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0781) | 04/12/23 |
| notes: Requires the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to notify a provider of behavioral health and developmental services who is issued a provisional license of any limitations that can be placed on the provider by any other agency of the Commonwealth, including restrictions on reimbursement that may be imposed by the Department of Medical Assistance Services. The bill requires that a consent agreement signed by such provider waiving his right to appeal a provisional license issuance decision outline such potential restrictions on reimbursement and that a copy of the signed consent agreement be provided to the Department of Medical Assistances Services. | |||
| HB 1946 - Wachsmann - Behavior analysts or assistant behavior analysts; licensure criteria, certifying entities. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions (S) Committee on Education and Health | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0693) | 03/27/23 |
| HB 1976 - Bell - Involuntary admission; release of individual. | (H) Committee for Courts of Justice (S) Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0168) | 03/22/23 |
| HB 2117 - Hudson - Substance abuse counselors; barrier crimes, exception. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions | (H) Left in Health, Welfare and Institutions | 02/07/23 |
| notes: Allows persons with convictions for possession of a controlled substance to work at adult substance abuse or adult mental health treatment programs. | |||
| HB 2185 - Rasoul - Community services boards and behavioral health authorities; provisions of performance contracts. | (H) Committee on Appropriations (S) Committee on Education and Health | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0790) | 04/12/23 |
| notes: Modifies and reorganizes provisions related to the requirements of performance contracts entered into by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services with community services boards and behavioral health authorities. | |||
| HB 2192 - Rasoul - Catawba Hospital; substance abuse treatment and recovery services. | (H) Committee on Appropriations (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (S) Left in Finance and Appropriations | 02/24/23 |
| notes: Directs the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to transform Catawba Hospital into a state-of-the-art facility at which a continuum of substance abuse treatment and recovery services is provided in addition to the array of behavioral health and other services currently provided to geriatric individuals in need of mental health care. | |||
| HB 2216 - Leftwich - Health insurance; coverage for mobile crisis response services and residential crisis units. | (H) Committee on Commerce and Energy (S) Committee on Commerce and Labor | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0186) | 03/22/23 |
| notes: Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage for mobile crisis response services, defined in the bill, and support and stabilization services provided in a residential crisis stabilization unit, defined in the bill. | |||
| HB 2229 - Sickles - Counseling Compact; licensure of professional counselors. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions | (H) Left in Health, Welfare and Institutions | 02/07/23 |
| notes: Authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to the Counseling Compact. The Compact permits eligible licensed professional counselors to practice in Compact member states, provided that they are licensed in at least one member state. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2024, and directs the Board of Counseling to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The Compact takes effect when it is enacted by a tenth member state. | |||
| HB 2248 - Cordoza - Substance use disorder; providers of treatment, use of methadone or opioid replacements. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions | (H) Left in Health, Welfare and Institutions | 02/07/23 |
| notes: Requires providers of treatment for substance use disorder who administer methadone or opioid replacements as treatments to utilize biometric certification to verify the identity of the clinician and patient. Biometric certification includes iris scans of patients and either iris scans or two-finger fingerprint scans of clinicians. The bill requires the Board of Pharmacy to establish a statewide data repository for the storage of records of every transaction involving the administration of methadone or opioid replacements to a patient, with such records being held for no fewer than 10 years. | |||
| HB 2255 - Hodges - DBHDS; review of regulations that impact providers. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions (S) Committee on Rules | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0491) | 03/24/23 |
| notes: Modifies the requirements for inspections of services provided by a licensed provider of behavioral health and developmental services. The bill removes the requirement that an inspection is conducted annually and replaces it with a requirement that an inspection is conducted at least once during the licensing period. The bill removes an evaluation of physical facilities where services are provided from the inspection requirements. | |||
| HB 2434 - Bell - Orders for involuntary outpatient evaluations & services; evidence of defendant's mental condition. | (H) Committee for Courts of Justice | (H) Tabled in Courts of Justice (20-Y 0-N) | 02/03/23 |
| notes: Allows the court, if a defendant is found not guilty of any offense after a trial at which evidence of his mental condition was admitted, to enter an order for an outpatient evaluation of the defendant if the court finds probable cause to believe the defendant meets the criteria for an outpatient evaluation set forth in the bill. The bill requires the court to subsequently enter an order for outpatient services if it finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that the defendant has a mental condition, defined in the bill; the defendant engaged in conduct that created a risk of harm to himself or others; the conduct was related to the defendant's mental condition; the defendant is in need of outpatient treatment to prevent a relapse or deterioration of his mental condition; and there is a reasonable likelihood that community-based services for the defendant's mental condition will reduce the risk of harm. The bill imposes a time limit of 180 days on orders for outpatient services and provides processes for rescinding and continuing the order. The bill requires that orders for outpatient services include an outpatient services plan prepared by the community services board or behavioral health authority. The bill also clarifies a defendant's ability to offer evidence regarding his mental condition at the time of the alleged offense in certain circumstances if such evidence tends to show that the defendant did not have the requisite intent required for the offense charged. | |||
| SB 802 - Hashmi - Counseling Compact; licensure of professional counselors. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0685) | 03/27/23 |
| notes: Authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to the Counseling Compact. The Compact permits eligible licensed professional counselors to practice in Compact member states, provided that they are licensed in at least one member state. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2024, and directs the Board of Counseling to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The Compact takes effect when it is enacted by a tenth member state. | |||
| SB 820 - Favola - Va. Opioid Use Reduction & Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment & Transition Fund; created. | (H) Committee on Public Safety (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0650) | 03/26/23 |
| notes: Establishes the Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund to be administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services for the purpose of funding and supporting the planning and implementation of locally administered jail-based addiction recovery and substance use disorder treatment and transition programs in local and regional jails. | |||
| SB 836 - Reeves - Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee; established. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0589) | 03/26/23 |
| notes: Directs the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to establish and maintain the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee to enable collaboration among prevention and treatment providers and operators of legal gaming in the Commonwealth on efforts to reduce the negative effects of problem gambling. | |||
| SB 846 - Favola - Peer recovery specialists; barrier crime exceptions. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0139) | 03/21/23 |
| notes: Permits the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, direct care service providers, and community boards to hire peer recovery specialists who have been convicted of certain barrier crimes where a history of such offense does not pose a risk in the work of a peer recovery specialist. | |||
| SB 1155 - Mason - DBHDS; review of regulations that impact providers. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions (S) Committee on Education and Health | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0492) | 03/24/23 |
| SB 1169 - Hanger - Community services boards and behavioral health authorities; provisions of performance contracts. | (H) Committee on Appropriations (S) Committee on Education and Health | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0754) | 04/12/23 |
| SB 1299 - Deeds - Involuntary admission; release of individual. | (H) Committee for Courts of Justice (S) Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0169) | 03/22/23 |
| notes: Permits the director of a facility where a person is awaiting transport to the facility of temporary detention pursuant to a temporary detention order to release the person prior to a commitment hearing if the person no longer meets the commitment criteria. | |||
| SB 1301 - Deeds - Managed care health insurance plan licensees; network adequacy for mental health care services. | (S) Committee on Commerce and Labor | (S) Passed by indefinitely in Commerce and Labor with letter (14-Y 0-N) | 02/06/23 |
| notes: Requires each managed care health insurance plan licensee (licensee) to (i) provide a sufficient number and mix of services, specialists, and practice sites to meet covered persons' mental health care needs; (ii) ensure that covered persons have telephone access 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to responsible and knowledgeable mental health care practitioners capable of assessing the covered persons' conditions and, as necessary, providing for appropriate services; and (iii) incorporate strategies into its access procedures to facilitate utilization of the licensee's mental health care services by covered persons with physical, mental, language, or cultural barriers. The bill requires a managed care health insurance plan licensee to cover out-of-network mental health care services to a covered person if (a) the licensee does not have a mental health care provider within its network capable of providing mental health care services to the covered person; (b) the majority of the managed care health insurance plan licensee's mental health care providers within 25 miles of a covered person or, if appropriate for the covered person, available via telemedicine who have experience treating the general age group of a covered person are no longer accepting new patients or have wait-lists to receive care; or (c) the managed care health insurance plan licensee does not have a mental health care provider within 25 miles of a covered person or, if appropriate for the covered person, available via telemedicine who (1) has experience or expertise in treating patients who share the emotionally distressing experiences, defined in the bill, or demographics of the covered person seeking care and (2) is capa | |||
| SB 1302 - Deeds - Temp. detention in hospital; testing, etc., mental/physical condition resulting from intoxication. | (H) Committee for Courts of Justice (S) Committee on Education and Health | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0175) | 03/22/23 |
| notes: Clarifies that in the case where a mental or physical condition is a result of intoxication, a licensed physician who has attempted to obtain informed consent of an adult person for treatment of such mental or physical condition resulting from intoxication may seek an order from the magistrate or court in the jurisdiction where the respondent is located authorizing temporary detention of the adult person in a hospital emergency department or other appropriate facility for testing, observation, or treatment, provided that certain conditions are met. | |||
| SB 1347 - Cosgrove - Health insurance; coverage for mobile crisis response services and residential crisis units. | (H) Committee on Commerce and Energy (S) Committee on Commerce and Labor | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0187) | 03/22/23 |
| notes: Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage for mobile crisis response services, defined in the bill, and support and stabilization services provided in a residential crisis stabilization unit, defined in the bill. | |||
| SB 1406 - Vogel - Behavior analysts or assistant behavior analysts; licensure criteria, certifying entities. | (H) Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions (S) Committee on Education and Health | (G) Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0694) | 03/27/23 |
| notes: Provides in the criteria for licensure as a behavior analyst or assistant behavior analyst established by the Board of Medicine that certain documentation must be provided by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board or its successor. Under current law, such documentation must be provided by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board or any other entity that is nationally accredited to certify practitioners of behavior analysis. | |||