A. Every city or county or any combination of counties and cities, before it shall come within the provisions of this chapter, shall establish a community services board with no less than six and no more than 18 members. When any city or county singly establishes a community services board, the board shall be appointed by the governing body of the city or county establishing the board. When any combination of counties and cities establishes a community services board, the board of supervisors of each county or the council of each city shall mutually agree on the size of the board and shall appoint the members of the community services board. Prior to making appointments, the governing body shall disclose the names of those persons being considered for appointment.

Appointments to the community services board shall be broadly representative of the community. One-third of the appointments to the board shall be individuals who are receiving or who have received services or family members of individuals who are receiving or who have received services, at least one of whom shall be an individual receiving services. One or more appointments may be nongovernmental service providers. Sheriffs or their designees also shall be appointed, when practical. No employee of the community services board or employee or board member of an organization that receives funding from any community services board shall be appointed a member of that board.

No community services board shall be composed of a majority of local government officials, elected or appointed, as members, nor shall any county or city be represented on a board by more than two officials, elected or appointed.

The board appointed pursuant to this section shall be responsible to the governing body of each county or city that established it.

B. The county or city or any combination of cities and counties that establishes an operating or administrative policy board shall receive an independent annual audit of the total revenues and expenditures of that board, a copy of which shall be provided to the Department, and designate an official of one member city or county to act as fiscal agent for the board. The county or city whose designated official serves as fiscal agent for the board in the case of boards established by more than one city or county shall review and act upon the independent audit of the board and, in conjunction with the other cities and counties, arrange for the provision of legal services to the board. When a single county or city establishes an operating or administrative policy board, it shall arrange for the provision of legal services to the board.

C. The county or city that establishes a policy-advisory board shall provide an annual audit of the total revenues and expenditures of the city or county government department to the board and the Department, carry out the responsibilities and duties enumerated in subsection A of § 37.2-504 and § 37.2-505, and provide legal services to the board. When any combination of cities and counties establishes a policy-advisory board, those cities and counties shall designate which local government shall operate the city or county government department. This local government shall provide an annual audit of the total revenues and expenditures of that department to the board and the Department, carry out the responsibilities and duties enumerated in subsection A of § 37.2-504 and § 37.2-505, and, in conjunction with the other cities and counties, arrange for the provision of legal services to the board.

1968, c. 477, § 37.1-195; 1970, c. 346; 1972, c. 498; 1973, c. 78; 1976, c. 671; 1978, c. 11; 1980, c. 582; 1988, c. 285; 1989, c. 254; 1994, c. 939; 1996, c. 412; 1997, c. 323; 1998, cc. 667, 680; 1999, c. 653; 2005, c. 716; 2012, cc. 476, 507.