CHAPTER 137
An Act to direct the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to develop a comprehensive plan for provision of forensic discharge planning services at local and regional correctional facilities.
Approved February 21, 2017
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. The Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (the Commissioner) shall, in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders, review the availability of forensic discharge planning services at local and regional correctional facilities for persons who have serious mental illnesses who are to be released from such facilities. The Commissioner shall develop a comprehensive plan for the provision of forensic discharge planning services for such persons at local or regional correctional facilities, which shall include the requirement that each facility have access to a discharge planner, and shall detail the cost considerations associated with the implementation of such a plan as well as any cost savings and benefits associated with the successful implementation of such a plan.
The plan shall be completed by November 1, 2017, and reported to the Chairmen of the Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century, the House Committee for Courts of Justice, and the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice. The report on such plan shall also be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the 2018 Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.