State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

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STATE BOARD OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES

The State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services is a policy board comprised of nine nonlegislative citizens from across the Commonwealth appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the General Assembly. In accordance with the Code of Virginia, the State Board membership shall consist of one individual who is receiving or who has received services, one family member of an individual who is receiving or who has received services, one individual who is receiving or who has received services or family member of such individual, one elected local government official, one psychiatrist licensed to practice in Virginia, and four citizens of the Commonwealth at large. The State Board has the statutory authority for the establishment of policy for the Department including its facilities, and community services boards and behavioral health authorities (collectively “CSBs”).

Contact Information:

State Board of BHDS
P. O. Box 1797, Rm. 411
Richmond VA 23218-1797

Office: (804) 225-2252; (804) 786-3921

Powers and Duties

As outlined in § 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia, the Board shall have the following powers and duties:

  1. To develop and establish programmatic and fiscal policies governing the operation of state facilities and CSBs;
  2. To ensure the development of long-range programs and plans for behavioral health and developmental services provided by the Department and CSBs;
  3. To review and comment on all budgets and requests for appropriations for the Department prior to their submission to the Governor and on all applications for federal funds;
  4. To monitor the activities of the Department and its effectiveness in implementing the policies of the Board;
  5. To advise the Governor, Commissioner, and the General Assembly on matters relating to behavioral health and developmental services;
  6. To adopt regulations that may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title and other laws of the Commonwealth administered by the Commissioner or the Department;
  7. To ensure the development of programs to educate citizens and elicit public support for the activities of the Department and the CSBs.
  8. To ensure that the Department assumes the responsibility for providing for education and training of school-age individuals in state facilities, pursuant to § 37.2-312.
  9. To change the names of state facilities; and
  10. To adopt regulations that establish the qualifications, education, and experience for registration of peer recovery specialists by the Board of Counseling.

State Board of BHDS Bylaws (December 11, 2019)

Policies

All policies of the State Board are listed at the link above. For information on policies, please contact Josie Mace.

Regulations

For information on regulatory actions taken by the Board, please visit the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall here. All current permanent regulations are available here. All current emergency regulations are found here.

Meetings

The Board is required to meet at least quarterly. A period for public comment is included on every agenda. Please note that each meeting’s Board Packet is posted approximately two weeks before each meeting date. All meetings are listed on the Commonwealth Calendar until the packet is posted on Town Hall, which then updates the Commonwealth Calendar.

Past Meetings:

Meeting minutes are available under the meeting information on Town Hall. For information on previous meetings, please contact Ruth Anne Walker.

Members

R. Blake Andis

Washington

Term Expires: 6/30/2026 (1st Full Term)

Varun Choudhary

Henrico

Term Expires: 6/30/2023 (1st Full Term)

Rebecca Graser

Richmond County

Term Expires: 6/30/2024 (1st Full Term)

Elizabeth Hilscher

Richmond City

Term Expires: 6/30/2024 (2nd Full Term)

Kendall Lee

Lunenburg

Term Expires: 6/30/2024 (Partial Term)

Moira Mazzi

Alexandria

Term Expires: 6/30/2025 (2nd Full Term)

Christopher Olivo

York

Term Expires: 6/30/24 (1st Full Term)

Sandra Price-Stroble

Harrisonburg

Term Expires: 6/30/2025 (2nd Full Term)

Vacancy, individual who is receiving or who has received services

Term Expires: 6/30/2023 (Partial Term)