Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images.Less than a month after Va. State Senator Creigh Deeds’ son attacked his father before turning a gun on himself—merely one day after he was released from emergency psychiatric custody order— new mental health initiatives for the state were announced today by Governor Bob McDonnell.
During a press conference in Richmond, McDonnell said that “mental health is something that affects Virginians in every corner of the state. It is a disease and a disability that affects Virginians of all stripes and for some, it’s not just something that you read about when there’s a tragedy, but it’s something that people live with daily, ” the Associated Press reports.
In response, McDonnell and state officials say more policies are needed in order to navigate Virginia’s “complex” mental health system. In 2011, Virginia hit a 13-year high fin suicide rates. Part of the initiatives proposed include increasing the number of beds available for patients at Williamsburg’s Eastern State Hospital and adding additional resources at Staunton’s Western State Hospital.
Deeds’ son, Austin “Gus” Deeds, was reportedly released from an emergency psychiatric custody because their weren’t enough beds at area hospitals for him or there was a breakdown in communication. The next day he attacked his father before killing himself.
In addition to increasing the number of available beds and resources, McDonnell’s proposals include extending the time that a person can be kept under an emergency custody order while hospital officials search for a bed from six hours to eight, as well as extending the time a person can be placed under a temporary detention order from 48 hours to 72.
McDonnell also proposed adding more than $5 million dollars over the two-year budget to “expand the availability of secure crisis intervention team assessment centers,” and $7.5 million to “expand outpatient mental health services for older teens and young adults.”
Finally, McDonnell said that a task force has been established to “look at ways to further improve health services and crisis response.” Although McDonnell will be replaced by governor-elect Terry McAuliffe on January 11, he said McAuliffe is on board with his proposals.