JLARC presents findings from studies on state psychiatric hospitals and GO Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) will meet
Monday, Dec. 11 to present what they found while studying Virginia’s state psychiatric hospitals and the GO Virginia regional economic development program.

In 2022, JLARC initiated a review of the Commonwealth’s nine psychiatric hospitals. These hospitals provide psychiatric treatment to individuals who pose a threat to themselves and others due to a mental illness.

State hospitals also serve inmates who require inpatient psychiatric treatment and defendants who need competency restoration services to help understand criminal charges against them.

During the study, JLARC staff reviewed several key aspects of state hospital operations, including staffing, patient safety, quality of patient care, discharge planning and oversight.

The commission looked at whether private hospitals could admit more inpatient psychiatric patients to reduce the burden on state hospitals.

Also in 2022, JLARC staff reviewed the GO Virginia program, which provides economic and workforce development grants to incentivize regional collaboration and diversify local economies. Staff assessed the program’s ability to meet it goals, eligibility requirements for
the program’s grants, the grant application and disbursement process. Each year, the program receives nearly $30 million in state funding.

Additionally, the commission will present their annual assessments of the Virginia Retirement System and the state’s K-12 standards of quality (SOQ) spending.

The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. in Senate Room A in the General Assembly Building
in Richmond. The meeting will be accessible live on the Senate’s video streaming page
and posted to JLARC’s YouTube channel at the conclusion of the meeting.

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