Judy Ratliff

Joe Lynch, Chair of the Legislative Committee of the Virginia Society of Clinical Social Work (VSCSW), several other members of the VSCSW, our lobbyist Sue Rowland and I met with Senator Creigh Deeds, Chair of the Mental Health Services in the Twenty-First Century (MHS Committee), on September 27, 2017.  At that meeting, Joe Lynch spoke on behalf of both clinical societies stating that several Code sections contained the language "treating physician or clinical psychologist" and needed to be updated to include other licensed clinical mental health professionals.  He recently wrote a follow-up letter to Senator Deeds requesting that this be considered for 2019 and asking whether the "updated language" legislation might be a type of legislation that could be put forward from the MHS Committee as a whole. Joe did his own research on the affected Codes and found that other licensed mental health providers in Virginia far exceeded the number of psychiatrists and psychologists in the state.

Joe further defined this legislation as:

• updating language in the Code;
  
• seeking to enhance the client's experience through the mental health system by ensuring that the licensed mental health provider that is most involved in the client's therapy is part of the process; and
  
• is client advocacy legislation that does not require additional funding.
  

Both societies owe a very large "Thank You" to Joe, whose tireless efforts and rigorous research have underpinned the success of many of our joint efforts.

VALEAP (VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM)

VALEAP is an all-volunteer program that was modeled after a highly effective FBI program.  Janet Howell, a senior Senator from Virginia, helped Virginia law enforcement officers secure $100,000.00 a year in the budget for this peer-run program.  A representative group of Virginia law enforcement officers met with her in Richmond to thank her. The program is designed to help people in law enforcement process the trauma they suffer in the course of doing their jobs.

MEDICAID

Legislation was recently passed in Virginia that includes expansion of Medicaid coverage to approximately 400,000 adults, most of whom are employed.  Virginia is also creating a new unit at Joint Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to constantly evaluate the program and recommend improvements. According to Janet Howell, it is estimated that Virginia will receive about two billion dollars a year from Washington for this expansion.  This money will be used to provide professional help to people with substance abuse and mental health problems, as well as being an economic stimulus and job creator for our state.  Funding will also be focused on preventing those with mental illness being sent to jails, which is often where they end up. As a compromise with Republican legislators (some of whom joined with Democrats to pass this legislation), a work requirement for those Medicaid recipients who can work was included in the legislation.  (Thanks to Janet Howell for the medicaid and VALEAP updates.)

.Judy Ratliff, LCSW, is Chair of the Society’s Legislative Committee for Virginia. In addition to her years of GWSCSW service, Judy has served on the Fairfax County Long Term Care Coordinating Council and in Leadership Fairfax. She began her professional life as a medical social worker, has taught medical and social work students for the University of Maryland, and is currently in private practice in Fairfax.