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Editorial for Dec. 29, 2016: A welcome editorial to state budget

News & Advance - 12/28/2016

Virginia faces yet another budget crisis, but Gov. Terry McAuliffe's proposed spending plan includes $31.7 million in new funds for mental health.

That's a welcome step toward solving one of the commonwealth's most serious problems.

Year after year, in tragedy after tragedy, mental health pushes itself to the top of the list when it comes to heart-wrenching stories.

Most recently, we learned about Jamycheal Mitchell, the mentally ill man who starved to death in a Hampton Roads jail while staff apparently failed to notice - or failed to act.

His case turned a spotlight on other deaths in jails, and on the broader issue of "warehousing" the mentally ill in cells instead of getting them into treatment.

Before that, it was the death of Gus Deeds, son of state Sen. Creigh Deeds, who represents Charlottesville, Nelson County and part of Albemarle County. Young Mr. Deeds killed himself after attacking and wounding his father, in turn after Sen. Deeds tried unsuccessfully to get help for him at his local community service board.

Before that, it was the Virginia Tech massacre, instigated by a mentally ill student who killed 32 people, including himself.

Both of these latter cases generated reforms in the General Assembly. The Mitchell atrocity also should compel the legislature to take action.

Indeed, Gov. McAuliffe proposes to clarify the state Board of Corrections' authority to investigate deaths in Virginia jails. One of the horrors of the Mitchell case was that no clear chain of responsibility could be found in state law even for effectively investigating such deaths.

Part of the governor's proposed budget is intended to address the community services boards that provide mental health on a local and regional level. They generally serve as the first contact for people seeking mental health support.

Some $8.2 million would go toward "same-day access" screening and assessment at 25 of the state's 40 CSBs to speed the delivery of services. Same-day service would be planned for the other 15 boards in the next biennium.

McAuliffe also proposes to spend $7.4 million to improve or supplement services at state hospitals. Since July 2014, the hospitals have seen a 43 percent increase in admissions, and many are at or near capacity. Among other things, the money would pay for better discharge planning, which would alleviate some of those stresses in-house, and for private bed purchases, which would allow hospitals to relieve overcrowding by sending patients to private facilities.

The governor also included $5.3 million to address Virginia's opioid addiction crisis.

All these efforts and more will be needed to confront seemingly intractable mental health problems.

But as Del. David Toscano told The Daily Progress recently, "After Virginia Tech, we had an influx of [state] money - and then it all went away during the recession."

Let's hope Virginia this time allocates more money to mental health - and leaves it there.

The (Charlottessville) Daily Progress