Historically, state hospitals and community services boards (CSBs) have worked collaboratively on discharge planning for individuals leaving state psychiatric hospitals. Code of Virginia §§ 37.2-505 and 37.2-837 designates CSBs as being responsible for supporting community integration.

In FY 2022, a report on SB1340 around discharge planning offered a recommendation for lessening burden on CSBs as well as decreasing length of stay (LOS) in people at state facilities who are ready for discharge by shifting discharge planning for people with LOS of 30 days or less to the state facility.

The legislation passed in 2024 allowed for a pilot of this solution at Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute, Central State Hospital, and Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute. The facilities were chosen for budgetary reasons as no funding was provided for the initiative. The pilot required an increase in support staff at the social work level for the facilities to consume all of the duties related to the discharge planning for this group of patients.