FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Willard A Vaughn, LPC, CPSC
Chief Executive Officer
The Milieu Therapeutic Services, PC
Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Not Interested in Radically Changing the State’s Crisis Care System.
Yorktown, VA – June 14, 2023 – With a July 1 deadline looming, there is concern that the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) is not truly interested in radically changing the state’s crisis care system. This is in spite of a 2020 report by DBHDS that projects a 137% increase in demand for crisis care in the coming years.
Willard Vaughn, a licensed counselor and CEO of The Milieu Therapeutic Services, has been working on a comprehensive approach to crisis care for many years. “This is especially important given that the majority of localities in our region are Mental Healthcare Provider Shortage Areas,” he said. “However, there has been no communication from the regional crisis hub about next steps. I have tried to work with the existing Community Service Boards (CSBs) to fill gaps in care, but I have been mostly ignored or gaslit.”
Vaughn provided a specific example of how he has been ignored or gaslit by CSBs. He said that he reached out to CSBs to offer his services in response to a trending topic in the field of a regional team that can assess individuals under an Emergency Custody Order or that can initiate the Temporary Detention Order process to improve the provider shortages and reduce or eliminate client wait times. He said that he has repeatedly reached out to CSBs to offer his services, but they have either ignored him, told him there is no need for change, or dismissed his outreach by saying that they were still “gathering information”.
“It is clear that DBHDS is not interested in radical change,” Vaughn said. “They are content to keep the status quo, even though it is clear that the current system is not meeting the needs of Virginians. I am passionate about reforming these systems, but it is frustrating to see that DBHDS is not interested in listening to those of us on the front line.”
The US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration and the National Association of State Mental Health Directors have both said that public systems should work with private providers to ensure that all clients have equal access to resources. However, it appears that DBHDS is not interested in following this guidance.
“It seems like all that DBHDS is interested in is changing the phone number to call for help,” Vaughn said. “They are not interested in addressing the underlying problems with the crisis care system. This is a missed opportunity to improve the lives of thousands of Virginians.”
Vaughn added that he and his team have already studied the problem extensively for the purpose of trying to attract investors, so they have the information and expertise to make a difference. However, he said that investors are not interested in collaborating with someone who routinely performs these services. He also said that the state still has very few resources aside from inpatient hospitalization throughout the state, and that providers are almost reluctant to develop innovative responses for fear they would not be utilized or reimbursed by insurance companies for being outside the norm.
“We are at a critical juncture,” Vaughn said. “We need to act now to reform the crisis care system in Virginia, or we will face the consequences of inaction.”
