RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) – State residents wish to see new investments to increase psychological well being and substance abuse therapy and companies, in keeping with the outcomes of a brand new statewide ballot.
A public opinion survey by co/environment friendly earlier this month discovered that when folks heard the main points of a $230 million state finances proposal to boost behavioral well being companies, 76% of respondents supported cooperation between the Virginia Home of Delegates and the state Senate to approve the plan.
Assist for the plan was sturdy throughout gender teams, partisan affiliation, age teams, ethnic teams and totally different areas throughout the state.
The 2022 Psychological Well being America state rankings at present has Virginia at thirty seventh in entry to psychological well being companies, whereas information from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention notes that the share of adults getting psychological well being therapy within the final 12 months has elevated annually from 2019 to 2021.
The survey famous the rise in demand for therapy is going down simply as well being care suppliers, together with behavioral well being suppliers, nonetheless battle with staffing shortages impacting therapy capability.
The ballot signifies sturdy voter assist for extra state funding in behavioral well being companies, and it additionally requested folks about their very own psychological wellness, their ideas on behavioral well being care entry of their communities and their opinions about particular elements of a state finances to make new investments in state behavioral well being companies.
One plan awaiting consideration within the 2023 state Common Meeting session is the Proper Assist, Proper Now plan, a part of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s $230 million bundle of finances amendments that will unfold out new behavioral well being system investments over a three-year interval.
The ballot additionally confirmed that:
- Practically three-fourths (72%) of Virginians polled stated they consider that bettering
entry to behavioral well being companies ought to be a “excessive precedence” for the Common
Meeting, with sturdy assist for legislative motion throughout age, gender, political, and
regional teams. - 70% of voters surveyed stated they might be extra prone to assist the plan due
to its proposed inclusion of funding for greater than 30 new cellular disaster groups to reply
to calls to Virginia’s 9-8-8 Suicide and Disaster Hotline to supply pressing assist to folks in
want. - 72% of voters polled stated they might be extra prone to assist the plan
as a result of it requires funding to assist psychological well being affected person transportation to alleviate the
burden on law enforcement officials who typically have to assist transport sufferers in disaster. - 77% of these surveyed stated they might be extra prone to assist the plan primarily based on
its intention to develop extra community-based service capability, improve substance
abuse companies, and strengthen the behavioral well being workforce. - And 81% stated they might be extra prone to assist the proposal as a result of it’s
designed to boost entry to same-day take care of folks in want, increase telehealth
behavioral well being therapy entry, and supply housing assist to folks with critical
psychological sickness.
The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Affiliation commissioned the co/environment friendly ballot to assist determine well being care points that state residents care about and inform the affiliation’s strategy to public coverage engagement, and was taken amongst 598 registered state voters between Jan. 12-16.
