Virginia’s public behavioral health and developmental services system provides services to individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorders through state-operated state hospitals and centers, and 39 community services boards and one behavioral health authority (CSBs).

In FY 2022, a total of 210,947 unduplicated individuals received services in the public behavioral health and developmental services system: 210,078 received services from CSBs, 5,856 received services in state hospitals and centers, and many received services from both.

CSBs function as the single points of entry into publicly funded behavioral health and developmental services, including access to state facility services through preadmission screening, case management and coordination of services, and discharge planning for individuals leaving state facilities. While not part of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), locally-operated CSBs are key partners. CSBs provide services directly and through contracts with private providers, which are vital to delivering behavioral health and developmental services. Virginia’s 133 cities or counties established CSBs pursuant to Chapter 5 or 6 of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia. DBHDS negotiates a performance contract with each CSB for the provision of services, provides state funds, monitors, licenses, regulates, and provides leadership, guidance, and direction to CSBs.

DBHDS operates 12 state hospitals and centers, as follows:

• State Hospitals – DBHDS operates eight state hospitals for adults: Catawba Hospital (CH) in Salem, Central State Hospital (CSH) in Petersburg, Eastern State Hospital (ESH) in Williamsburg, Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute (NVMHI) in Falls Church, Piedmont Geriatric Hospital (PGH) in Burkeville, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute (SVMHI) in Danville, Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute (SWVMHI) in Marion, and Western State Hospital (WSH) in Staunton. The Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents (CCCA) in Staunton is the only state hospital for children with serious emotional disturbance. State hospitals provide highly structured and intensive inpatient services, including psychiatric, nursing, psychological, psychosocial rehabilitation, support, and specialized programs for older adults, children and adolescents, and individuals with a forensic status.

• State Centers – DBHDS provides rehabilitation services at the Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation (VCBR) in Burkeville for persons determined to be sexually violent predators. DBHDS provides medical services at the Hiram Davis Medical Center (HDMC) in Petersburg for individuals in state hospitals or other centers. DBHDS also provides highly structured habilitation and residential care for individuals with intellectual disability at Southeastern Virginia Training Center (SEVTC) in Chesapeake.

The DBHDS central office provides leadership that promotes partnerships among CSBs and state hospitals and centers with other agencies and providers. The central office supports the provision of accessible and effective services and supports by CSBs and other providers, directs the delivery of services in state hospitals and centers, protects the human rights of individuals receiving services, and assures that public and private providers adhere to licensing regulations.