# Virginia HB453: Comprehensive mental health, substance abuse, & developmt. disability crisis services; written plan.

Virginia HB453, Comprehensive mental health, substance abuse, & developmt. disability crisis services; written plan., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Rodney T. Willett (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0797)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB453-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB453
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Comprehensive mental health, substance abuse, & developmt. disability crisis services; written plan.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0797)
- Sponsor: Rodney T. Willett (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (237 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Comprehensive crisis system; Marcus alert system; Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; comprehensive mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disability crisis services; written plan. Allows the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, in collaboration with the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to amend the written plan created pursuant to relevant law after the publication of such written plan, provided that (i) the stakeholders listed in relevant law are consulted during the development of any new language to be added to such written plan and (ii) a public comment period of no less than 30 days is held prior to the finalization of such written plan. The bill also provides that the written plan shall serve as the operational framework for relevant components of the comprehensive crisis system and the Marcus alert system and that state agencies and local implementing partners shall align their policies, procedures, and operations on an ongoing basis with the requirements and guidance set forth in the written plan, as amended. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission. This bill is identical to SB 513.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Marcus alert coverage expands by 2028: benefit, high. By December 1, 2021, the state set up five Marcus alert programs, one in each region. By July 1, 2023, it added five more in the largest-population service areas not already chosen. The Department keeps adding programs by July 1, 2024; July 1, 2025; and July 1, 2026. By July 1, 2028, every communit…
- Statewide behavioral crisis care system: benefit, medium. The law creates a statewide crisis response for mental health, substance use, and developmental disability needs. The state runs crisis call centers that meet national standards and link with 9-1-1 to divert calls. It sends community care or mobile crisis teams for same-day help and uses short-stay…
- Marcus alert plan and updates: benefit, medium. The law required DBHDS, with criminal justice and community stakeholders, to develop a written Marcus alert plan by July 1, 2021. The plan sets how 9-1-1 calls divert to crisis centers, how teams are dispatched, and how police back up clinical teams. It reviews current crisis teams, funding, and ne…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Rodney T. Willett (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services Block Vote | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-19 | Senate | Rereferred from Education and Health to Rehabilitation and Social Services | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-27 | House | Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-22 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 8 | 0 |   |

## Actions (31)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0797) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 797 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB453) (House)
- 2026-03-10: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB453ER) (House)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-03: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services Block Vote (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Rereferred from Education and Health to Rehabilitation and Social Services (14-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB453) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-01-30: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-01-30: committee amendment agreed to (House)
- 2026-01-30: Read second time (House)
- 2026-01-29: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-27: Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-22: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-22: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-21: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB453) (House)
- 2026-01-21: Assigned sub: Behavioral Health (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102856D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222671.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222670.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197776.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197775.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098374.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098373.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097388.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-01-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093371.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093672.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084510.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084509.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222671.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222670.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197776.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197775.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098374.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098373.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097388.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093371.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093672.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084510.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084509.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB453-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).
