About DBHDS

Daryl Washington

Commissioner, Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

In January 2026, Daryl Washington was appointed by Governor Abigail Spanberger as Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). DBHDS is a state agency that operates 12 state hospitals and centers with over 5,600 employees and oversees a $2 billion system that annually serves over 200,000 Virginians and families struggling with behavioral health disorders and developmental disabilities.

Prior to joining DBHDS, Daryl served as Executive Director of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB), a role he was appointed to in 2018. In this role, he was responsible for overall operations at the CSB, which is the public behavioral healthcare and developmental disability services agency for the County of Fairfax and Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. Prior to serving as the executive director, Daryl served as the Deputy Director of Clinical Operations for the CSB.

Daryl has 32 years of experience in the behavioral healthcare field and has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the past 30 years. During Daryl’s professional career, he has also worked for Fairfax County Public Schools as a school social worker and several private behavioral healthcare organizations. He has clinical training to provide services to youth, adolescents, adults and couples. Daryl served as a board member of the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority, National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors, and Volunteer Fairfax.

Daryl holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s in social work from North Carolina State University. Daryl is a native of Virginia and lives in the Centreville area with his wife and kids.