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Richmond Behavioral Health Authority
CRIS 605: Crisis and First Responder Training: Skills and Techniques
Dr. B. Cambra
May 29, 2024
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Richmond Behavioral Health Authority
1,115,000 adults in Virginia have a mental health condition. That is more than four times
the population of Richmond (the capital). (Nami.org) Out of the 1,155,000 adults in Virginia
living with a mental health condition 264,000 adults have been diagnosed with a serious mental
illness. During the past 5 years, Virginia has transformed the state’s adult behavioral health care
system through a variety of policy mechanisms to shift funding, the workforce, and delivery of
care and to enhance access. Virginia’s layered approach may inform other states seeking to
strengthen their capacity to fight the substance use epidemic, even as new epidemics emerge
(Cuellar & Hazel, 2021)
Richmond Behavioral Health Authority was founded in 1996. Richmond Behavioral
Health Authority (RBHA) is licensed by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and
Developmental Services and is the statutorily established public entity responsible for providing
mental health, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse and prevention services to the
citizens of the City of Richmond. Services are provided directly by RBHA staff and through
contracts with private providers in the community. (RBHA.com) RBHA provides several different
crisis response programs, each focusing on a different category of people (children, adults
veterans, etc.) Not only does RBHA offer crisis response they also offer programs for adults
including mental health services, substance use & prevention services, developmental services,
and criminal justice services. RBHA’s Crisis Intervention provides 24-hour emergency services,
information, referral, and triage for outpatient services for individuals in the City of Richmond.
Crisis clinicians will be available to discuss and respond to service needs. RBHA is the operating
agent for three regional crisis response programs for adults. Services are provided to individuals
residing in region four of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental
Services (VDBHDS) planning regions. The counties and localities included in region four are:
•Chesterfield County (Chester, Chesterfield, Ettrick, Matoaca, Midlothian, Mosely)
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•Richmond City
•Henrico Area (Charles City, Red House, Glen Allen, Henrico, Highland Springs,
Sandston, Lanexa, New Kent, Providence Forge, Quinton)
•Hanover (Ashland, Beaverdam, Doswell, Hanover, Mechanicsville, Montpelier,
Rockville)
•Crossroads Area (Amelia, Jetersville, Buckingham, Charlotte, Charlotte Court House,
Drakes Branch, Keysville, Randolph, Red Oak, Cartersville, Cumberland, Dundas,
Kenbridge, Lunenburg, Meherrin, Prince Edward, Victoria, Blackstone, Crewe,
Nottoway, Farmville, Green Bay, Rice)
•D19 (Hopewell, Dinwiddie, McKenney, Emporia, Greensville, Skippers, Disputanta, Fort
Lee, Prince George, Claremont, Spring Grove, Surry, Wakefield, Jarrat, Stony Creek,
Sussex, Wakefield, Waverly, Colonial Heights, Petersburg)
•Goochland and Powhatan (Crozier, Goochland, Gum Spring, Hadensville, Maidens,
Manakin-Sabot, Oilville, Powhatan)
In the fiscal year 2022 Richmond Behavioral Health Authority assisted over 13,000
individuals (adults and Children) of the roughly 13,000 people 7,421 were assisted with
mental health issues. In that year they also received 4,958 calls to their hotline and were
able to train seventy-two citizens from across the commonwealth of Virginia in Crisis
Intervention
Team (CIT) programs. They also received a grant to expand the city of Richmond Justice
Center. The Richmond Justice Center was opened in 2014 and replaced the original
Richmond City Jail. The Richmond justice center holds roughly 1,032 inmates. The Richmond
Justice Center participates in the Jail Mental Health Pilot Program (JMHPP). In order to
qualify for this program the facility has to fill out an application and has a number of
requirements such as Provide services to all mentally ill inmates in the designated pilot
program, whether state or local responsible, rain jail staff in working with mentally ill
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inmates, and provide services including, but not limited to, mental health treatment
services, behavioral health services, case managers to provide discharge planning for
individuals, reentry services, and transportation services.(Dept of Criminal Justice
Services,2024)
RBHA has over five hundred employees, including individuals who work at various locations
across the commonwealth. The requirement for employment is a vigorous process. As with
any type of employment the first step is filling out an application, most of the applications
are eight to ten sections long. After completing the application and the interview, RBHA
conducts a background check including Social Security Verification, personal and
professional reference verification, Professional Credential Verification, Education
verification, and finally the prospective employee’s criminal history. Anyone hired by this
office must provide a letter from a licensed practitioner in communicable state, stating that
the prospect of the employee is negative for tuberculous. Like numerous places the
prospective employee is expected to pass a pre-employment drug test. Volunteers go
through the same rigorous process as well. Several studies have shown that the demands of
the work at the crisis line may impact volunteers' mental wellbeing and their intention to
leave the crisis line organization. However, research on the demands faced by volunteers
working at a crisis line service is scarce. A few qualitative studies revealed a number of
demands related to the work itself (characteristics of callers or the topics) and a number of
demands related to the organization of the work.
Richmond Behavioral Health Authority partners with people and organizations to create
opportunities, provide resources, and secure needed funding. Together, we fearlessly
champion the health, wellness, and recovery of individuals and families in our community,
bringing essential care to children and adults through crisis intervention, mental health
services, developmental support, primary medical care, and substance use treatment and
prevention. RBH relies on community support to serve nearly 13,000 people a year – about
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5% of Richmond’s population – regardless of ability to pay. Our vision is for an inclusive,
healthy community where individuals have the courage to believe in a better tomorrow and
are inspired to reach their highest potential. Our work together as a community is vital
because a society of wholly healthy individuals creates a vibrant, safe community. (rbhaf)
RBHF was founded in 2010 with the primary purpose of supporting the services and
programs that are done through RBHA and citizens the organization helps. RBHAF helps with
gaps in funding and often works with other resources creating a partnership that helps both
families and individuals.
Now that you have a quick summary of what RBHA is and what they do, I will leave you with
one last thought. When thinking about all that goes into working or volunteering at an
organization like this I find myself thinking about Bible verses that explain helping people
and the one that stuck out in my mind as I was researching is Hebrews 6:10 God is not
unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his
people and continue to help them (NIV).
(2024, February 6). Jail Mental Health Pilot Program (JMHPP) Grant. Department of Criminal
Justices Services. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from
www.dcjs.virginia.gov/sites/dcjs.virginia.gov/files/grants/fy-2025-jail-mental-health-
pilotprogram-jmhpp-grant-guidelines.pdf.
Richmond Behavioral Health Authority. Richmond Behavioral Health Authority. Retrieved May
29, 2024, from www.rbha.org
Richmond behavioral health Foundation retrieved May 29, 2024, from
www.rbhfoundation.com.
Cuellar, A., & Hazel, W., Jr (2021). Transforming Behavioral Health Care in Virginia. The
American Psychiatric Association. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202000466
