{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/37.2-500.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/37.2-500.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/37.2-500.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/37.2-500.html"}],"law_id":60895,"edition_id":1,"section_id":60895,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-500","catch_line":"Purpose; community services board; services to be provided","history":"1968, c. 477, \u00a7 37.1-194; 1972, c. 498; 1974, c. 404; 1975, c. 200; 1976, cc. 41, 671; 1977, c. 90; 1980, c. 582; 1982, c. 295; 1984, c. 653; 1998, c. 680; 2002, cc. 51, 278; 2005, c. 716; 2010, c. 28; 2012, cc. 476, 507; 2017, cc. 458, 607, 683; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 213; 2023, c. 484.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Department, for the purposes of establishing, maintaining, and promoting the development of mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services in the Commonwealth, may provide funds to assist any city or county or any combinations of cities or counties or cities and counties in the provision of these services. Every city or county shall establish a community services board by itself or in any combination with other cities and counties, unless it establishes a behavioral health authority pursuant to Chapter 6 (§ 37.2-600 et seq.). In order to provide comprehensive mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services within a continuum of care, the community services board shall function as the single point of entry into publicly funded mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services.B\n\nThe core of services provided by community services boards within the cities and counties that they serve shall include:1\n\nEmergency services;2\n\nSame-day mental health screening services;3\n\nOutpatient primary care screening and monitoring services for physical health indicators and health risks and follow-up services for individuals identified as being in need of assistance with overcoming barriers to accessing primary health services, including developing linkages to primary health care providers; and4\n\nSubject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, case management services.C\n\nSubject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, the core of services may include a comprehensive system of inpatient, outpatient, day support, residential, prevention, early intervention, and other appropriate mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services necessary to provide individualized services and supports to persons with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance abuse. Community services boards may establish crisis stabilization units that provide residential crisis stabilization services.D\n\nThe purpose of behavioral health services provided by community services boards shall be to enable individuals who have a mental illness or substance use disorder that significantly impairs their functioning to access effective, timely, and cost-efficient services that help them (i) overcome or manage functional impairments caused by the mental illness or substance use disorder and (ii) remain in the community to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the individual’s well-being and public safety.E\n\nEvery city or county or any combination of cities and counties that has established a community services board, in consultation with that board, shall designate it as an operating community services board, an administrative policy community services board, or a local government department with a policy-advisory community services board. The governing body of each city or county that established the community services board may change this designation at any time by ordinance. In the case of a community services board established by more than one city or county, the decision to change this designation shall be the unanimous decision of all governing bodies.F\n\nA community services board may enter into contracts with private providers to ensure the delivery of services pursuant to this article.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":222707,"text":"The Department, for the purposes of establishing, maintaining, and promoting the development of mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services in the Commonwealth, may provide funds to assist any city or county or any combinations of cities or counties or cities and counties in the provision of these services. Every city or county shall establish a community services board by itself or in any combination with other cities and counties, unless it establishes a behavioral health authority pursuant to Chapter 6 (§ 37.2-600 et seq.). In order to provide comprehensive mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services within a continuum of care, the community services board shall function as the single point of entry into publicly funded mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":222708,"text":"The core of services provided by community services boards within the cities and counties that they serve shall include:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":222709,"text":"Emergency services;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":222710,"text":"Same-day mental health screening services;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"B3"},"4":{"id":222711,"text":"Outpatient primary care screening and monitoring services for physical health indicators and health risks and follow-up services for individuals identified as being in need of assistance with overcoming barriers to accessing primary health services, including developing linkages to primary health care providers; and","type":"section","prefixes":["B","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"B3","prefix_anchor":"B3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B2","next_prefix":"B4"},"5":{"id":222712,"text":"Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, case management services.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"B4","prefix_anchor":"B4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B3","next_prefix":"C"},"6":{"id":222713,"text":"Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, the core of services may include a comprehensive system of inpatient, outpatient, day support, residential, prevention, early intervention, and other appropriate mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services necessary to provide individualized services and supports to persons with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance abuse. Community services boards may establish crisis stabilization units that provide residential crisis stabilization services.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B4","next_prefix":"D"},"7":{"id":222714,"text":"The purpose of behavioral health services provided by community services boards shall be to enable individuals who have a mental illness or substance use disorder that significantly impairs their functioning to access effective, timely, and cost-efficient services that help them (i) overcome or manage functional impairments caused by the mental illness or substance use disorder and (ii) remain in the community to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the individual’s well-being and public safety.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"8":{"id":222715,"text":"Every city or county or any combination of cities and counties that has established a community services board, in consultation with that board, shall designate it as an operating community services board, an administrative policy community services board, or a local government department with a policy-advisory community services board. The governing body of each city or county that established the community services board may change this designation at any time by ordinance. In the case of a community services board established by more than one city or county, the decision to change this designation shall be the unanimous decision of all governing bodies.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"9":{"id":222716,"text":"A community services board may enter into contracts with private providers to ensure the delivery of services pursuant to this article.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13299,"edition_id":1,"name":"Community Services Boards","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13087,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:36","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:36","permalink":{"id":210025,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13299,"identifier":"5","token":"37.2\/II\/5","url":"\/37.2\/II\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13087,"edition_id":1,"name":"Behavioral Health and Developmental Services","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12843,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","permalink":{"id":210023,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13087,"identifier":"II","token":"37.2\/II","url":"\/37.2\/II\/","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":60895,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-500","catch_line":"Purpose; community services board; services to be provided","url":"\/37.2-500\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-500","metadata":false},{"id":54288,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-501","catch_line":"Community services board; appointment; membership; duties of fiscal agent","url":"\/37.2-501\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-501","metadata":false},{"id":72591,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-502","catch_line":"Community services board members; term of office; vacancies; removal","url":"\/37.2-502\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-502","metadata":false},{"id":73882,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-503","catch_line":"Compensation of community services board members","url":"\/37.2-503\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-503","metadata":false},{"id":65222,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-504","catch_line":"Community services boards; local government departments; powers and duties","url":"\/37.2-504\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-504","metadata":false},{"id":62018,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-505","catch_line":"Coordination of services for preadmission screening and discharge planning","url":"\/37.2-505\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-505","metadata":false},{"id":75347,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-506","catch_line":"Background checks required; services for children and developmental services","url":"\/37.2-506\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-506","metadata":false},{"id":61726,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-506.1","catch_line":"Background checks required; adult substance abuse and mental health services","url":"\/37.2-506.1\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-506.1","metadata":false},{"id":63221,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-507","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/37.2-507\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-507","metadata":false},{"id":61165,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-508","catch_line":"Performance contract for mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services","url":"\/37.2-508\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-508","metadata":false},{"id":77016,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-509","catch_line":"Mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services; allocation of funds by Department; reduction of funds","url":"\/37.2-509\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-509","metadata":false},{"id":76062,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-510","catch_line":"Community services board; withdrawal of county or city","url":"\/37.2-510\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-510","metadata":false},{"id":73736,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-511","catch_line":"Liability for expenses of services","url":"\/37.2-511\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-511","metadata":false},{"id":86688,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-512","catch_line":"Authority to enter into joint agreements","url":"\/37.2-512\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-512","metadata":false},{"id":72496,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-513","catch_line":"Information about services to be made available to courts","url":"\/37.2-513\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-513","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":54288,"structure_id":13299,"section_number":"37.2-501","catch_line":"Community services board; appointment; membership; duties of fiscal agent","url":"\/37.2-501\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-501","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/37.2-500\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1968. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 477 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1968 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 15 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 1972, chapter 498; in 1974, chapter 404; in 1975, chapter 200; in 1976, chapters 41 and 671; in 1977, chapter 90; in 1980, chapter 582; in 1982, chapter 295; in 1984, chapter 653; in 1998, chapter 680<\/a>; in 2002, chapters 51<\/a> and 278<\/a>; in 2005, chapter 716<\/a>; in 2010, chapter 28<\/a>; in 2012, chapters 476<\/a> and 507<\/a>; in 2017, chapters 458<\/a>, 607<\/a>, and 683<\/a>; in 2023, chapter 484<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":68930,"section_number":"15.2-1535","catch_line":"Members of governing body not to be elected or appointed by governing body to certain offices","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1535\/"},{"id":76696,"section_number":"2.2-2365","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-2365\/"},{"id":76036,"section_number":"37.2-100","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/37.2-100\/"},{"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":80506,"section_number":"37.2-613","catch_line":"Proceedings for dissolution","order_by":null,"url":"\/37.2-613\/"},{"id":62871,"section_number":"51.5-169","catch_line":"Cooperative agreements with community services boards and schools","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.5-169\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":65047,"section_number":"37.2-600","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/37.2-600\/"}],"permalink":{"id":210027,"object_type":"law","relational_id":60895,"identifier":"37.2-500","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-500","url":"\/37.2-500\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/37.2-500\/","token":"37.2\/II\/5\/37.2-500","dublin_core":{"Title":"Purpose; community services board; services to be provided","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 37.2-500","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Department<\/span>, for the purposes of establishing, maintaining, and promoting the development of mental health, developmental, and substance abuse<\/span> services in the Commonwealth, may provide funds to assist any city or county or any combinations of cities or counties or cities and counties in the provision of these services. Every city or county shall establish a community services board<\/span> by itself or in any combination with other cities and counties, unless it establishes a behavioral health authority<\/span> pursuant to Chapter 6 (§ 37.2-600<\/a> et seq.). In order<\/span> to provide comprehensive mental health, developmental, and substance abuse<\/span> services within a continuum of care, the community services board<\/span> shall function as the single point of entry into publicly funded mental health, developmental, and substance abuse<\/span> services. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The core of services provided by community services boards<\/span> within the cities and counties that they serve shall include: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Emergency services; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Same-day mental health screening services; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Outpatient primary care screening and monitoring services for physical health indicators and health risks and follow-up services for individuals<\/span> identified as being in need of assistance with overcoming barriers to accessing primary health services, including developing linkages to primary health care providers; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, case management services. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, the core of services may include a comprehensive system of inpatient, outpatient, day support, residential, prevention, early intervention, and other appropriate mental health, developmental, and substance abuse<\/span> services necessary to provide individualized services and supports to persons with mental illness<\/span>, developmental disabilities, or substance abuse<\/span>. Community services boards<\/span> may establish crisis stabilization units that provide residential crisis stabilization services. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The purpose of behavioral health services<\/span> provided by community services boards<\/span> shall be to enable individuals<\/span> who have a mental illness<\/span> or substance use disorder that significantly impairs their functioning to access effective, timely, and cost-efficient services that help them (i) overcome or manage functional impairments caused by the mental illness<\/span> or substance use disorder and (ii) remain in the community to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the individual<\/span>’s well-being and public safety. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Every city or county or any combination of cities and counties that has established a community services board<\/span>, in consultation with that board, shall designate it as an operating community services board<\/span><\/span>, an administrative policy community services board<\/span><\/span>, or a local government department<\/span> with a policy-advisory community services board<\/span><\/span>. The governing body of each city or county that established the community services board<\/span> may change this designation at any time by ordinance<\/span>. In the case of a community services board<\/span> established by more than one city or county, the decision to change this designation shall be the unanimous decision of all governing bodies. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> A community services board<\/span> may enter into contracts<\/span> with private providers to ensure the delivery of services pursuant to this article. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPURPOSE; COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD; SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED (\u00a7 37.2-500)\n\nA. The Department, for the purposes of establishing, maintaining, and promoting\nthe development of mental health, developmental, and substance abuse services in\nthe Commonwealth, may provide funds to assist any city or county or any\ncombinations of cities or counties or cities and counties in the provision of\nthese services. Every city or county shall establish a community services board\nby itself or in any combination with other cities and counties, unless it\nestablishes a behavioral health authority pursuant to Chapter 6 (§ 37.2-600\net seq.). In order to provide comprehensive mental health, developmental, and\nsubstance abuse services within a continuum of care, the community services\nboard shall function as the single point of entry into publicly funded mental\nhealth, developmental, and substance abuse services.\n\nB. The core of services provided by community services boards within the cities\nand counties that they serve shall include:\n\n 1. Emergency services;\n\n 2. Same-day mental health screening services;\n\n 3. Outpatient primary care screening and monitoring services for physical\n health indicators and health risks and follow-up services for individuals\n identified as being in need of assistance with overcoming barriers to\n accessing primary health services, including developing linkages to primary\n health care providers; and\n\n 4. Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, case management\n services.\n\nC. Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for them, the core of\nservices may include a comprehensive system of inpatient, outpatient, day\nsupport, residential, prevention, early intervention, and other appropriate\nmental health, developmental, and substance abuse services necessary to provide\nindividualized services and supports to persons with mental illness,\ndevelopmental disabilities, or substance abuse. Community services boards may\nestablish crisis stabilization units that provide residential crisis\nstabilization services.\n\nD. The purpose of behavioral health services provided by community services\nboards shall be to enable individuals who have a mental illness or substance use\ndisorder that significantly impairs their functioning to access effective,\ntimely, and cost-efficient services that help them (i) overcome or manage\nfunctional impairments caused by the mental illness or substance use disorder\nand (ii) remain in the community to the greatest extent possible, consistent\nwith the individual’s well-being and public safety.\n\nE. Every city or county or any combination of cities and counties that has\nestablished a community services board, in consultation with that board, shall\ndesignate it as an operating community services board, an administrative policy\ncommunity services board, or a local government department with a\npolicy-advisory community services board. The governing body of each city or\ncounty that established the community services board may change this designation\nat any time by ordinance. In the case of a community services board established\nby more than one city or county, the decision to change this designation shall\nbe the unanimous decision of all governing bodies.\n\nF. A community services board may enter into contracts with private providers to\nensure the delivery of services pursuant to this article.\n\nHISTORY: 1968, c. 477, \u00a7 37.1-194; 1972, c. 498; 1974, c. 404; 1975, c. 200;\n1976, cc. 41, 671; 1977, c. 90; 1980, c. 582; 1982, c. 295; 1984, c. 653; 1998,\nc. 680; 2002, cc. 51, 278; 2005, c. 716; 2010, c. 28; 2012, cc. 476, 507; 2017,\ncc. 458, 607, 683; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 213; 2023, c. 484.","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}}