A. The Department, for the purposes of establishing, maintaining, and promoting the development of behavioral health services in the Commonwealth, may provide funds to assist certain cities or counties in the provision of these services.

B. The governing body of the Cities of Virginia Beach or Richmond or the County of Chesterfield may establish a behavioral health authority and shall declare its intention to do so by resolution.

C. The behavioral health services provided by behavioral health authorities within the cities or counties they serve shall include:

1. Emergency services;

2. Same-day mental health screening services;

3. Outpatient primary care screening and monitoring services for physical health indicators and health risks and follow-up services for individuals identified as being in need of assistance with overcoming barriers to accessing primary health services, including developing linkages to primary health care providers; and

4. Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, case management services.

D. Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, the behavioral health services may include a comprehensive system of inpatient, outpatient, day support, residential, prevention, early intervention, and other appropriate mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services necessary to provide individualized services and supports to persons with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance abuse. Behavioral health authorities may establish crisis stabilization units that provide residential crisis stabilization services.

E. In order to provide comprehensive mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services within a continuum of care, the behavioral health authority shall function as the single point of entry into publicly funded mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services.

1995, c. 693, §§ 15.1-1676, 15.1-1678; 1996, c. 861; 1997, c. 587, §§ 37.1-242, 37.1-244; 1998, c. 680; 2005, c. 716; 2010, c. 28; 2012, cc. 476, 507; 2017, cc. 458, 607, 683.