Health

Bill to Provide Increased Access to Behavioral Services Held in Committee by Sponsor

Proposed legislation aiming to amend Virgin Islands Code to “increase access to behavioral services” was held in the Committee on Health, Hospitals, and Human Services by its bill sponsor, Senator Diane Capehart.  If passed, Bill 35-0224 would have created a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team to provide mobile crisis intervention services, and also would formalize the 9-8-8 telecommunication system. In her introduction of the bill, Ms. Capehart explained that the measure would create “a community intervention team that provides emergency assessment and referral for individuals in behavioral health crises.” It would involve training peace officers, as well as providing a funding source to allow the Bureau of Corrections to “offer training and some services to the correction officers.” Nursing staff who attend to patients during mental health episodes would also be trained. Under Bill 35-0224, a “9-8-8 trust fund” would be established to “fund the service,” Ms. Capehart said. A loud s...