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A New Mental Health Crisis Assement Site is Open in Lexington

Rockbridge Area Community Services

Rural mental health crisis intervention is getting a boost from a new regional Crisis Intervention Assessment Site in Lexington. 

Rockbridge Area Community Services has been training law enforcement officers to become members a Mental Health Crisis Intervention Team. Now, in cooperation with Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital, they have a Crisis Intervention Assessment Site. John Young is Executive Director of Rockbridge Area Community Services:  

"Basically what that means for our area is folks that might be under the emergency custody order--whether it be paper or paperless--during the operational hours of the program are brought in to that site directly and two sheriff's deputies are available at all times at that site and can do transfer of custody."

The service area covers Bath County, Buena Vista, City of Lexington and Rockbridge County and having the Crisis Intervention Assessment Site means law enforcement officers will be able to get back to their beats more quickly:

"Normally when they have an ECO they have to continue to stay with the case until it was determined they did not need an ECO or until the TDO was determined temporary detention order was needed. Now with that process they can do the transfer of custody and return back to the street."

A grant of $540,000 from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services was used to develop the site.  

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