Bill > HJR39

This resolution requests the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, working with the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, to study the financial and operational difficulties faced by law-enforcement agencies when they are required to take custody of individuals under emergency custody orders (ECOs) and temporary detention orders (TDOs). These orders are typically issued when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis and may be a danger to themselves or others, and law enforcement is legally obligated to hold these individuals until a psychiatric facility can accept them or until the order expires, which can be as short as eight hours for an ECO or up to 72 hours for a TDO. The study will examine how the "bed of last resort" law, which mandates state hospitals to provide beds when private facilities are unavailable, has increased the number of these orders and the distances law enforcement must travel to transfer custody, as well as the overtime pay, fuel costs, and reduced capacity for regular duties that result from officers spending extended time managing these individuals. It will also look into the coordination required with various professionals and agencies, compare procedures for adults and juveniles, and consider potential improvements like faster evaluations for juveniles, earlier hearings, and the use of triage centers or mobile crisis teams to ease the burden on law enforcement. The Secretaries are to report their findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by the start of the 2027 legislative session.

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HJ39