Youngkin celebrates two years of ‘Right Help, Right Now’ initiative
RICHMOND, Va (WRIC) -- Two years after it was first announced, Governor Glenn Youngkin says his "Right Help, Right Now" initiative to transform Virginia’s behavioral health system is working. “Two years into our three-year transformation, we are seeing great progress, collaboration, and of course statewide movement in meeting the needs of Virginians,” Youngkin told reporters at an event on Wednesday. Youngkin highlighted several notable improvements including bringing the total number of mobile crisis response teams in Virginia up from 36 to over 100. Youngkin says they are available 24/7 in every corner of the commonwealth. “We have a 50-minute deployment rate and it’s statewide and that’s been really helpful as well. And we have a lot more ground to cover in Southwest Virginia because we have a lot more territory, but I’m so pleased that we have been able to get this response time around the state,” Youngkin said. In addition, Youngkin says his administration’s decision to tackle Virginia’s opioid crisis side by side with its mental health crisis has saved lives all over the commonwealth. “What we have seen, as a result, is a substantial decline in overdoses in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Just in the last year, overdoses in the Commonwealth of Virginia have declined by 23%,” Youngkin said. Youngkin adds that when he presents his proposed amendments to the state budget next week, it will include about $70 million additional dollars to go toward improving Virginia’s behavioral health system.
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RICHMOND, Va (WRIC) -- Two years after it was first announced, Governor Glenn Youngkin says his "Right Help, Right Now" initiative to transform Virginia’s behavioral health system is working.
“Two years into our three-year transformation, we are seeing great progress, collaboration, and of course statewide movement in meeting the needs of Virginians,” Youngkin told reporters at an event on Wednesday.
Youngkin highlighted several notable improvements including bringing the total number of mobile crisis response teams in Virginia up from 36 to over 100. Youngkin says they are available 24/7 in every corner of the commonwealth.
“We have a 50-minute deployment rate and it’s statewide and that’s been really helpful as well. And we have a lot more ground to cover in Southwest Virginia because we have a lot more territory, but I’m so pleased that we have been able to get this response time around the state,” Youngkin said.
In addition, Youngkin says his administration’s decision to tackle Virginia’s opioid crisis side by side with its mental health crisis has saved lives all over the commonwealth.
“What we have seen, as a result, is a substantial decline in overdoses in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Just in the last year, overdoses in the Commonwealth of Virginia have declined by 23%,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin adds that when he presents his proposed amendments to the state budget next week, it will include about $70 million additional dollars to go toward improving Virginia’s behavioral health system.
