The VACBP provides industry leadership to advocate for public policies that reward efficient and effective community-based behavioral health services. As we seek to improve Virginia's behavioral health delivery system, our advocacy goals include:
| |  | Develop a continuum of care that enables access to the most appropriate level of service in a timely manner in a setting that best meets the patient’s needs. | |  | Implement strategies to address the critical shortage of qualified behavioral health workers in Virginia. | | | | | | | | | | | |  | Ensure reimbursement rates more appropriately reflect the true cost to deliver care. | |  | Support and encourage data- and outcome-informed treatment. | | | | | | | | | | | |  | Support greater certainty and stability in the behavioral health delivery system. | |  | Increase the integration of medical and behavioral health, leveraging both the public- and private-sector providers. | | | | | | | | | | | |  | Better leverage the experience, expertise and availability of private-sector behavioral health providers. | |  | Improve accountability throughout the behavioral health delivery system, to include providers, payors, regulators and administrators. | | | | | | | | | | | |  | Protect and enhance consumer choice in behavioral health treatment. | |  | Increase coordination within and among agencies related to behavioral health service delivery and social service programs. | |
The VACBP's 2023 advocacy priorities include the following: - Increase Virginia’s investment in community-based behavioral health services to reduce the need for more costly hospitalization and in-patient services
- Enhance Virginia’s community-based behavioral health system to create a comprehensive, person-centered, trauma-informed continuum of services that includes early intervention/prevention, intensive treatment and recovery services
- Reduce the administrative and regulatory burden on behavioral health providers and protect consumer choice
- Develop a comprehensive approach to ensuring integrity in Virginia’s publicly funded behavioral health system
- Diminish barriers that keep those with lived experience from participating in the delivery of mental health services in Virginia
- Support programs that enable individuals with mental illness to access safe, affordable, non-time-limited housing, a critical social determinant of health
| | | | | | | | Advocacy Member Benefits | | | | | | Ability to provide input on those issues that are impacting your agency and the clients you serve on a day-to-day basis. | |  | | | | Exclusive opportunities to meet policymakers and discuss the issues that are most important to you. | | | | | Actively engage in the policy and regulatory development process. | | | | | Learn about the changes that may impact their organization. | | | | | Strengthen the voice and impact of the provider community. | | | | | Opportunity to support those elected officials who are aligned with the priorities of the VACBP through the VACBP Behavioral Health Improvement political action committee (PAC). | | | | | | | | |
| | | |  | | VACBP Behavioral Health Improvement PAC In order to advance the VACBP's policy priorities, we need members of the General Assembly who understand and care about the issues that impact our industry. The VACBP Behavioral Health Improvement PAC provides an opportunity for providers to collectively provide financial support to those elected officials and candidates who are aligned with the VACBP’s policy priorities. Click below to learn more about our PAC and how you can get involved. More Information |
| Advocacy ACTION Alerts | | | | | | | 
| | Overhaul of licensing regulations coming
DBHDS is currently working to overhaul the regulations that dictate how a provider operates, from governance, organizational structure, finances, employee records, orientation and training requirements, office hours, emergency preparedness, ownership succession, complaints and grievances, and much more. The VACBP is working hard to ensure the interests of providers are considered as the regulations are changed. Join our Advocacy Initiative to receive regular updates and to share your thoughts and concerns about the proposed changes. | | 
| | Concerns with proposed guidance on requirements for 90 days of operating expenses shared (September 2019)
The VACBP’s primary concerns on the proposed interpretation of this requirement included how “projected revenue” is interpreted and the unreasonable requirement that cash/line-of-credit reserve be sequestered. To read the VACBP’s comments on this issue, click here. | |  | | Recommendations for DMAS rate study highlight need for investment in early intervention, higher rates and maintenance services (August 2019)
VACBP recommendations included a focus on increasing investment in early intervention and prevention services, development of rates that reflect the true cost to provide services, elimination of “rural” rates, development of a uniform assess rate across all community-based services and development of lower cost/lower intensity services that may be beneficial on a “maintenance” basis, leading to better health outcomes for certain patients and decreased overall costs that may otherwise come without some minimal level of support. To read the VACBP’s comments on this issue, click here. | |
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