Republican leaders in the Virginia General Assembly?? introduced a threefold plan for mental health reform Thursday that draws upon recommendations from the ad-hoc panel that studied last April's shootings at Virginia Tech.
"Clearly the focus on mental health has intensified since the Virginia Tech tragedy," said Del. Phil Hamilton, R-Newport News, chairman of the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee.
He noted that one of the plan's goals is to increase funding for the construction of crisis stabilization units -- which are "short-term facilities that help people in imminent crisis" -- throughout the Commonwealth.
At the present time the Commonwealth has 11 crisis stabilization units, the GOP proposal would add another 29, at $1 million per unit.
"Ideally, every region ought to have access to these centers," Hamilton said.
Hamilton said the proposal also would require a community services board representative to attend every commitment hearing during which someone may be committed to medical facilities.
The GOP will examine the statutory language of the present involuntary commitment law, focusing on the phrase "imminent danger," Hamilton added.
"I would prefer changing the phrase 'imminent danger' to 'the substantial likelihood that in the near future an individual will cause physical harm to other individuals,' Hamilton said. "There has to be some evidence present that such behavior has, in fact, occurred."
The measures will be financed through the governor's budget, which will be finalized in March 2008.
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