2020 Code of Virginia
Title 37.2 - Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
Chapter 3 - Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
§ 37.2-311.2. Powers and duties of crisis call center

A. The crisis call center established by the Department pursuant to § 37.2-311.1 shall provide crisis intervention services and crisis care coordination to individuals accessing the NSPL from any jurisdiction in the Commonwealth 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

B. In administering the crisis call center, the Department shall:

1. Apply for participation in and enter into an agreement with the NSPL Administrator for participation within the NSPL;

2. Meet NSPL requirements and best practices guidelines for operational and clinical standards;

3. Report, provide data, and participate in evaluations and related quality improvement activities as required by the NSPL Administrator;

4. Use technology, including chat and text, that is interoperable across crisis and emergency response systems used throughout the Commonwealth and that is consistent with any standards promulgated by the NSPL Administrator;

5. Deploy crisis and outgoing services, including mobile crisis teams and community care teams;

6. Coordinate access to the comprehensive crisis system or other local resources as appropriate and according to guidelines and best practices established by the NSPL Administrator;

7. Actively collaborate with local community service boards to coordinate linkages for persons contacting the NSPL with ongoing care needs;

8. Establish formal agreements with local community services boards as it deems appropriate;

9. Coordinate access to the comprehensive crisis system for individuals accessing the NSPL through appropriate information sharing regarding availability of services;

10. Work with the NSPL Administrator and VCL networks to establish consistency of public messaging about services provided by the NSPL;

11. Meet any requirements set forth by the NSPL Administrator for serving high-risk and specialized populations as identified by SAMHSA, including any policies and training requirements for providing linguistically and cultural competent care and, if appropriate, transferring such callers to an appropriate specialized center or subnetwork within or external to the NSPL network;

12. Provide follow-up services to individuals who access the NSPL consistent with guidance and policies established by the NSPL;

13. Report any information required by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, including information regarding the collection and expenditure by the Commonwealth of state and federal funds for the purposes of administering the call center, and regarding the use of the NSPL through the crisis call center;

14. Establish any work group or task force as necessary to administer the provisions of this section and §§ 37.2-311.1 and 37.2-311.3; and

15. Comply with any applicable requirements, including associated deadlines, of the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, P.L. 116-172.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 248.