Glenn Youngkin and friends.

[tshile]

My wife had to study healthcare policies in Virginia and nationally as part of her doctorate program, with this semester that’s wrapping up. She actually gets to go to dc and present some things to senators and house members over the next few months. Anyways, what came out of it was one of the few good things I’ve heard about the youngkin administration so just sharing 

 

https://apnews.com/article/mental-health-glenn-youngkin-virginia-general-assembly-4cd8301dce303e7f4a70f8e1626c0334

 

I may have the numbers a bit wrong. I’m recalling from a conversation a few weeks ago. 
 

in addition to police officers not being trained or equipped to be the first responder to a mental health crisis:

- an average mental health intervention consumes 54 hours of the police officers time

- emergency mental health facilities were able to play be rules that allowed them to declare themselves at capacity, forcing the hospital to hold the patient (who are also not properly equipped, and often required police to be present with the patient)

- there are limitations in what you can do because ultimately you formally take the persons rights away to hold them when they are a danger to themselves or others, creating a short window for intervention by a hospital before they have to let the person walk out the door 
 

some of the new changes put a mental health professional with the police in first response. Changed the rules facilities use to determine at capacity so they could no longer just decline a patient in an emergency. Allocates funding for it. 
 

These are good things. Typically not things you hear republicans talk about caring about. 
 

It would be nice if such things were the focus. Instead of culture war bull****. 

[stoshuaj]

4 hours ago, tshile said:

 

I’m not familiar with Va statutes and provisions given to LEOs in the case of what is deemed a mental health situation.  Does Va not have something similar to Florida’s Baker Act which allows for involuntary protective custody?

 

“What is a Baker Act Proceeding?
Florida’s Baker Act law is a means of providing individuals with emergency services and temporary detention for up to 72 hours for mental health examination”

[tshile]

7 minutes ago, stoshuaj said:

I’m not familiar with Va statutes and provisions given to LEOs in the case of what is deemed a mental health situation.  Does Va not have something similar to Florida’s Baker Act which allows for involuntary protective custody?

 

“What is a Baker Act Proceeding?
Florida’s Baker Act law is a means of providing individuals with emergency services and temporary detention for up to 72 hours for mental health examination”

we have something. I know the hospital can do it, but I’m not clear on if that means they have the police officers do it or what. 
 

But it’s temporary. And if you can’t get them to the correct facility in time, they wind up walking out the door. 
 

additionally, while they have the authority to do it, it’s not taken lightly and there’s a serious process involved. Which makes sense, given you’re temporarily relieving a person of some fundamental rights. 

[stoshuaj]

29 minutes ago, tshile said:

we have something. I know the hospital can do it, but I’m not clear on if that means they have the police officers do it or what. 
 

But it’s temporary. And if you can’t get them to the correct facility in time, they wind up walking out the door. 
 

additionally, while they have the authority to do it, it’s not taken lightly and there’s a serious process involved. Which makes sense, given you’re temporarily relieving a person of some fundamental rights. 

Gotcha, I know in Fl it is for up to 72 hrs but virtually anyone can petition the Court to have law enforcement take an individual in for an Involuntary Examination.

 

In my experience, it doesn’t take that long (hours) and I’ve seen it abused on multiple occasions.  (Think, scorned girlfriend.  Sorry but it was always the girlfriend)

 

**edit**. Sorry, I know we’ve strayed off topic here.

Edited April 12 by stoshuaj

[tshile]

43 minutes ago, stoshuaj said:

Gotcha, I know in Fl it is for up to 72 hrs but virtually anyone can petition the Court to have law enforcement take an individual in for an Involuntary Examination.

 

In my experience, it doesn’t take that long (hours) and I’ve seen it abused on multiple occasions.  (Think, scorned girlfriend.  Sorry but it was always the girlfriend)

 

**edit**. Sorry, I know we’ve strayed off topic here.

well and another problem is Virginia as a state has very few facilities for this. And they were allowed to turn down emergency situations if they’re at 70% capacity. 
 

the new proposals will fund mobile centers but also require them to be at 95% capacity to turn down emergency situations. 
 

(70 and 95 might not be the exact right numbers but they’re in the ballpark. It’s second hand info from 2-3 weeks ago, so I’m not sure I have the exact numbers correct. They’re close though)