Staff recommended DMAS study the feasibility of an 11-15 Medicaid reentry waiver to cover behavioral health services before and immediately after release; DMAS staff said agency would need General Assembly direction to apply and offered to report back.

A staff report to the Senate Behavioral Health Commission found treatment in Virginia jails varies widely, that minimum standards required by 2019 legislation were never finalized into regulations, and that implementing standards will require additional funding and staff, the presentation said.

A Senate committee reported several elections-related bills. Senate Bill 88 would count people civilly committed to state behavioral health facilities at their last known residential address for redistricting; the committee reported SB88 20-0 and advanced six other bills with recorded votes.

Darryl Washington, commissioner of DBHDS, told the subcommittee the state has scaled mobile crisis teams and aims to expand crisis receiving centers, is pursuing outpatient restoration for some misdemeanor cases to reduce hospital stays, and is considering closure and re‑use options for Hiram Davis with an estimated $170 million savings.

Senate bill directs pharmacy board to expedite psilocybin access after FDA approval.