The Endependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV) operates based on the legacy of Centers for Independent Living all across the state: that all people—especially those with disabilities—deserve to be treated with dignity, exercise control over their care, and be fully included in their community.
We strongly support efforts to improve Virginia’s crisis response system under the proposed guidance. Crisis services must be built on consumer choice, respect, and the right to remain in the community whenever possible. To ECNV, this means that systems must put the needs, safety, and dignity of consumers first. Reforms must also avoid worsening the barriers faced by communities already underserved in our behavioral-health system—especially Black, Brown, Indigenous, disabled, and other marginalized groups.
We appreciate the progress made so far, including statewide training, coordination through 988 and regional hubs, and improved data tracking. To continue strengthening the system, ECNV recommends the following:
1. Prioritize Direct Consumer Choice and On-Site Care
Self-referral must be protected as an essential pathway to crisis services. The crisis system must recognize the right of any consumer to initiate contact directly—whether through a crisis hotline, through a walk-in to a local provider's office (such as a Crisis Intervention Center), or via other direct routes. Any guidance restricting Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) teams from responding to self-referrals, including walk-ins, should be reviewed and revised to explicitly permit such self-referrals. Self-referral recognizes that a middleman and dispatch system is not the right fit for every person or issue. Furthermore, when MCR is deployed, teams must be required to provide the right response to de-escalate the situation at the location where the client feels safest and most comfortable to prevent unnecessary transport, escalation, or institutionalization.
2. Strengthen Accountability, Transparency, and Equity
We support the use of real-time data and recommend public dashboards showing response times, outcomes, regional differences, and data broken down by disability, race, ethnicity, and geography. We also recommend a graduated enforcement process—a clear series of steps DBHDS or DMAS can take when problems arise before using the most severe actions, like ending a provider’s MOU. Examples include technical assistance, corrective action plans, or temporary probation. This helps improve quality without disrupting crisis coverage, especially in underserved regions.
3. Expand Workforce Training Across the Crisis Continuum
Training must go beyond current requirements. Crisis workers need practical skills in disability-competent response, accessible communication, trauma-informed care, and understanding of sensory, psychiatric, cognitive, and developmental disabilities—including autism. Ongoing refresher trainings and support are critical, especially for under-resourced areas.
4. Strengthen Community Infrastructure and Reduce Responder Strain
The Commonwealth should continue investing in Community Services Boards and regional hubs to ensure consistent and equitable coverage. Support is also needed to reduce burnout and pressure on emergency responders involved in crisis work.
5. Expand Peer Support and Lived-Experience Roles
Peer support models are highly effective. We recommend increased funding for Certified Peer Mentors and more opportunities for people with lived experience to work in Mobile Crisis, stabilization, and follow-up services.
6. Improve Continuity of Care and Community Integration
Warm handoffs—from MCR to Community Stabilization, outpatient care, peer support, or Centers for Independent Living—are essential. We recommend follow-up within 24–48 hours after a crisis event and safety planning that respects the person’s communication needs, preferences, and long-term goals.
7. Ensure Accessibility Across All Platforms and Services
All crisis services must be accessible to people with disabilities. Accessibility standards should apply to VCC, dispatch systems, documentation, communication tools, and follow-up services. Regular accessibility audits and documentation of accommodations used during crisis response will help ensure meaningful, equitable care for disabled people across the state.
In conclusion, ECNV supports Virginia’s ongoing work to create a strong, community-based crisis response system. By strengthening accountability, accessibility, and person-centered care, the Commonwealth can fulfill the goals of the Marcus-David Peters Act and ensure that all Virginians—especially those most marginalized—receive the support they need, when they need it, in the most community-based setting.