{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/37.2-203.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/37.2-203.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/37.2-203.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/37.2-203.html"}],"law_id":62804,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62804,"structure_id":16028,"section_number":"37.2-203","catch_line":"Powers and duties of Board","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 37-1, 37-2, 37-4, 37-5, 37-34; 1954, c. 668; 1960, c. 133; 1968, c. 477, \u00a7\u00a7 37.1-10, 37.1-34; 1976, cc. 671, 739, \u00a7 37.1-223; 1979, c. 41; 1980, c. 582; 1984, c. 720; 1985, c. 207; 1998, c. 724; 2005, c. 716; 2012, cc. 476, 507; 2017, cc. 418, 426; 2023, cc. 466, 484, 754, 790.","full_text":"The Board shall have the following powers and duties:\n\n1\n\nTo develop and establish programmatic and fiscal policies governing the operation of state hospitals, training centers, community services boards, and behavioral health authorities;2\n\nTo ensure the development of long-range programs and plans for mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services provided by the Department, community services boards, and behavioral health authorities;3\n\nTo review and comment on all budgets and requests for appropriations for the Department prior to their submission to the Governor and on all applications for federal funds;4\n\nTo monitor the activities of the Department and its effectiveness in implementing the policies of the Board;5\n\nTo advise the Governor, Commissioner, and General Assembly on matters relating to mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services;6\n\nTo adopt regulations that may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title and other laws of the Commonwealth administered by the Commissioner or the Department;7\n\nTo ensure the development of programs to educate citizens about and elicit public support for the activities of the Department, community services boards, and behavioral health authorities;8\n\nTo ensure that the Department assumes the responsibility for providing for education and training of school-age individuals receiving services in state facilities, pursuant to § 37.2-312;9\n\nTo change the names of state facilities;10\n\nTo adopt regulations that establish the qualifications, education, and experience for registration of peer recovery specialists by the Board of Counseling;11\n\nTo ensure that the Department develops specific goals and objectives for the delivery of services to individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorders by community services boards and behavioral health authorities that are consistent with the purposes set forth in §§ 37.2-508 and 37.2-608 and that would enable the Board to advise the Governor, Commissioner, and General Assembly on matters related to community behavioral health and developmental services; and12\n\nTo monitor the Department’s performance regarding its regular, ongoing monitoring of community services boards’ and behavioral health authorities’ compliance with the performance contract requirements set forth in §§ 37.2-508 and 37.2-608 and to make recommendations, as applicable, to the Department regarding improvement of such monitoring activities.\n\t\t\tPrior to the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any regulation regarding substance abuse services, the Board shall, in addition to the procedures set forth in the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.), present the proposed regulation to the Virginia Addiction Recovery Council, established pursuant to § 2.2-2696, at least 30 days prior to the Board’s action for the Council’s review and comment.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":228930,"text":"The Board shall have the following powers and duties:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":228931,"text":"To develop and establish programmatic and fiscal policies governing the operation of state hospitals, training centers, community services boards, and behavioral health authorities;","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":228932,"text":"To ensure the development of long-range programs and plans for mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services provided by the Department, community services boards, and behavioral health authorities;","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":228933,"text":"To review and comment on all budgets and requests for appropriations for the Department prior to their submission to the Governor and on all applications for federal funds;","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":228934,"text":"To monitor the activities of the Department and its effectiveness in implementing the policies of the Board;","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":228935,"text":"To advise the Governor, Commissioner, and General Assembly on matters relating to mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services;","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4","next_prefix":"6"},"6":{"id":228936,"text":"To adopt regulations that may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title and other laws of the Commonwealth administered by the Commissioner or the Department;","type":"section","prefixes":["6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"6","prefix_anchor":"6","level":1,"prior_prefix":"5","next_prefix":"7"},"7":{"id":228937,"text":"To ensure the development of programs to educate citizens about and elicit public support for the activities of the Department, community services boards, and behavioral health authorities;","type":"section","prefixes":["7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"7","prefix_anchor":"7","level":1,"prior_prefix":"6","next_prefix":"8"},"8":{"id":228938,"text":"To ensure that the Department assumes the responsibility for providing for education and training of school-age individuals receiving services in state facilities, pursuant to § 37.2-312;","type":"section","prefixes":["8"],"prefix":"8","entire_prefix":"8","prefix_anchor":"8","level":1,"prior_prefix":"7","next_prefix":"9"},"9":{"id":228939,"text":"To change the names of state facilities;","type":"section","prefixes":["9"],"prefix":"9","entire_prefix":"9","prefix_anchor":"9","level":1,"prior_prefix":"8","next_prefix":"10"},"10":{"id":228940,"text":"To adopt regulations that establish the qualifications, education, and experience for registration of peer recovery specialists by the Board of Counseling;","type":"section","prefixes":["10"],"prefix":"10","entire_prefix":"10","prefix_anchor":"10","level":1,"prior_prefix":"9","next_prefix":"11"},"11":{"id":228941,"text":"To ensure that the Department develops specific goals and objectives for the delivery of services to individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorders by community services boards and behavioral health authorities that are consistent with the purposes set forth in §§ 37.2-508 and 37.2-608 and that would enable the Board to advise the Governor, Commissioner, and General Assembly on matters related to community behavioral health and developmental services; and","type":"section","prefixes":["11"],"prefix":"11","entire_prefix":"11","prefix_anchor":"11","level":1,"prior_prefix":"10","next_prefix":"12"},"12":{"id":228942,"text":"To monitor the Department’s performance regarding its regular, ongoing monitoring of community services boards’ and behavioral health authorities’ compliance with the performance contract requirements set forth in §§ 37.2-508 and 37.2-608 and to make recommendations, as applicable, to the Department regarding improvement of such monitoring activities.\n\t\t\tPrior to the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any regulation regarding substance abuse services, the Board shall, in addition to the procedures set forth in the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.), present the proposed regulation to the Virginia Addiction Recovery Council, established pursuant to § 2.2-2696, at least 30 days prior to the Board’s action for the Council’s review and comment.","type":"section","prefixes":["12"],"prefix":"12","entire_prefix":"12","prefix_anchor":"12","level":1,"prior_prefix":"11"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16028,"edition_id":1,"name":"State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12844,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:04:16","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:04:16","permalink":{"id":209687,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16028,"identifier":"2","token":"37.2\/I\/2","url":"\/37.2\/I\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12844,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12843,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","permalink":{"id":209675,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12844,"identifier":"I","token":"37.2\/I","url":"\/37.2\/I\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12843,"edition_id":1,"name":"Behavioral Health and Developmental Services","identifier":"37.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","permalink":{"id":209673,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12843,"identifier":"37.2","token":"37.2","url":"\/37.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":80322,"structure_id":16028,"section_number":"37.2-200","catch_line":"State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services","url":"\/37.2-200\/","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-200","metadata":false},{"id":87477,"structure_id":16028,"section_number":"37.2-201","catch_line":"Internal evaluation committee of Board","url":"\/37.2-201\/","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-201","metadata":false},{"id":83913,"structure_id":16028,"section_number":"37.2-202","catch_line":"Members not eligible for positions in Department","url":"\/37.2-202\/","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-202","metadata":false},{"id":62804,"structure_id":16028,"section_number":"37.2-203","catch_line":"Powers and duties of Board","url":"\/37.2-203\/","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-203","metadata":false},{"id":73543,"structure_id":16028,"section_number":"37.2-203.1","catch_line":"Licensed provider; statement to prospective employer","url":"\/37.2-203.1\/","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-203.1","metadata":false},{"id":76080,"structure_id":16028,"section_number":"37.2-204","catch_line":"Appointments to state and local human rights committees","url":"\/37.2-204\/","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-204","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83913,"structure_id":16028,"section_number":"37.2-202","catch_line":"Members not eligible for positions in Department","url":"\/37.2-202\/","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-202","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":73543,"structure_id":16028,"section_number":"37.2-203.1","catch_line":"Licensed provider; statement to prospective employer","url":"\/37.2-203.1\/","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-203.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/37.2-203\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 13 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1954, chapter 668; in 1960, chapter 133; in 1968, chapter 477; in 1976, chapters 671 and 739; in 1979, chapter 41; in 1980, chapter 582; in 1984, chapter 720; in 1985, chapter 207; in 1998, chapter 724<\/a>; in 2005, chapter 716<\/a>; in 2012, chapters 476<\/a> and 507<\/a>; in 2017, chapters 418<\/a> and 426<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 466<\/a>, 484<\/a>, 754<\/a>, and 790<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":57912,"section_number":"46.2-1229","catch_line":"Enforcement of parking regulations of State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1229\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":84460,"section_number":"2.2-2696","catch_line":"Virginia Addiction Recovery Council","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-2696\/"},{"id":86911,"section_number":"2.2-4000","catch_line":"Short title; purpose","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-4000\/"},{"id":59415,"section_number":"37.2-312","catch_line":"Department responsible for education and training programs","order_by":null,"url":"\/37.2-312\/"},{"id":61165,"section_number":"37.2-508","catch_line":"Performance contract for mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services","order_by":null,"url":"\/37.2-508\/"},{"id":85448,"section_number":"37.2-608","catch_line":"Performance contract for mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services","order_by":null,"url":"\/37.2-608\/"}],"permalink":{"id":209701,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62804,"identifier":"37.2-203","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-203","url":"\/37.2-203\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/37.2-203\/","token":"37.2\/I\/2\/37.2-203","dublin_core":{"Title":"Powers and duties of Board","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 37.2-203","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Board<\/span> shall have the following powers and duties:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> To develop and establish programmatic and fiscal policies governing the operation of state hospitals<\/span>, training centers<\/span>, community services boards<\/span>, and behavioral health authorities; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> To ensure the development of long-range programs and plans for mental health, developmental, and substance abuse<\/span> services provided by the Department<\/span>, community services boards<\/span>, and behavioral health authorities; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> To review and comment on all budgets and requests for appropriations for the Department<\/span> prior to their submission to the Governor and on all applications for federal funds; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> To monitor the activities of the Department<\/span> and its effectiveness in implementing the policies of the Board<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> To advise the Governor, Commissioner<\/span>, and General Assembly on matters relating to mental health, developmental, and substance abuse<\/span> services; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> To adopt regulations that may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title and other laws<\/span> of the Commonwealth administered by the Commissioner<\/span> or the Department<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> To ensure the development of programs to educate citizens about and elicit public support for the activities of the Department<\/span>, community services boards<\/span>, and behavioral health authorities; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

8.<\/span> To ensure that the Department<\/span> assumes the responsibility for providing for education and training of school-age individuals<\/span> receiving services in state facilities, pursuant to § 37.2-312<\/a>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

9.<\/span> To change the names of state facilities; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

10.<\/span> To adopt regulations that establish the qualifications, education, and experience for registration of peer recovery specialists by the Board<\/span> of Counseling; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

11.<\/span> To ensure that the Department<\/span> develops specific goals and objectives for the delivery of services to individuals<\/span> with mental illness<\/span>, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorders by community services boards<\/span> and behavioral health authorities that are consistent with the purposes set forth in §§ 37.2-508<\/a> and 37.2-608<\/a> and that would enable the Board<\/span> to advise the Governor, Commissioner<\/span>, and General Assembly on matters related to community behavioral health and developmental services<\/span>; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

12.<\/span> To monitor the Department<\/span>’s performance regarding its regular, ongoing monitoring of community services boards<\/span>’ and behavioral health authorities’ compliance with the performance contract<\/span> requirements set forth in §§ 37.2-508<\/a> and 37.2-608<\/a> and to make recommendations, as applicable, to the Department<\/span> regarding improvement of such monitoring activities.\n\t\t\tPrior to the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any regulation regarding substance abuse<\/span> services, the Board<\/span> shall, in addition to the procedures set forth in the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000<\/a> et seq.), present the proposed regulation to the Virginia Addiction Recovery Council, established pursuant to § 2.2-2696<\/a>, at least 30 days prior to the Board<\/span>’s action for the Council’s review and comment. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPOWERS AND DUTIES OF BOARD (\u00a7 37.2-203)\n\nThe Board shall have the following powers and duties:\n\n1. To develop and establish programmatic and fiscal policies governing the\noperation of state hospitals, training centers, community services boards, and\nbehavioral health authorities;\n\n2. To ensure the development of long-range programs and plans for mental health,\ndevelopmental, and substance abuse services provided by the Department,\ncommunity services boards, and behavioral health authorities;\n\n3. To review and comment on all budgets and requests for appropriations for the\nDepartment prior to their submission to the Governor and on all applications for\nfederal funds;\n\n4. To monitor the activities of the Department and its effectiveness in\nimplementing the policies of the Board;\n\n5. To advise the Governor, Commissioner, and General Assembly on matters\nrelating to mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services;\n\n6. To adopt regulations that may be necessary to carry out the provisions of\nthis title and other laws of the Commonwealth administered by the Commissioner\nor the Department;\n\n7. To ensure the development of programs to educate citizens about and elicit\npublic support for the activities of the Department, community services boards,\nand behavioral health authorities;\n\n8. To ensure that the Department assumes the responsibility for providing for\neducation and training of school-age individuals receiving services in state\nfacilities, pursuant to § 37.2-312;\n\n9. To change the names of state facilities;\n\n10. To adopt regulations that establish the qualifications, education, and\nexperience for registration of peer recovery specialists by the Board of\nCounseling;\n\n11. To ensure that the Department develops specific goals and objectives for the\ndelivery of services to individuals with mental illness, developmental\ndisabilities, or substance use disorders by community services boards and\nbehavioral health authorities that are consistent with the purposes set forth in\n§§ 37.2-508 and 37.2-608 and that would enable the Board to advise the\nGovernor, Commissioner, and General Assembly on matters related to community\nbehavioral health and developmental services; and\n\n12. To monitor the Department’s performance regarding its regular, ongoing\nmonitoring of community services boards’ and behavioral health\nauthorities’ compliance with the performance contract requirements set\nforth in §§ 37.2-508 and 37.2-608 and to make recommendations, as\napplicable, to the Department regarding improvement of such monitoring\nactivities.\n\t\t\tPrior to the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any regulation regarding\nsubstance abuse services, the Board shall, in addition to the procedures set\nforth in the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.), present the\nproposed regulation to the Virginia Addiction Recovery Council, established\npursuant to § 2.2-2696, at least 30 days prior to the Board’s action\nfor the Council’s review and comment.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 37-1, 37-2, 37-4, 37-5, 37-34; 1954, c. 668; 1960, c.\n133; 1968, c. 477, \u00a7\u00a7 37.1-10, 37.1-34; 1976, cc. 671, 739, \u00a7 37.1-223; 1979,\nc. 41; 1980, c. 582; 1984, c. 720; 1985, c. 207; 1998, c. 724; 2005, c. 716;\n2012, cc. 476, 507; 2017, cc. 418, 426; 2023, cc. 466, 484, 754, 790.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}