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CSB leaders describe waiver rollout, same-day access and staffing needs; request funding for support coordinators
Summary
Jennifer Faison, executive director of the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards, briefed the committee on the 40 local CSBs, their role as the public safety net, progress assigning DD waiver slots and the need for $8.7 million to support onboarding of support coordinators and other implementation costs.
Jennifer Faison, executive director of the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards (VACSB), told the committee there are 40 community services boards in Virginia that together employ about 15,000 people and — in fiscal year 2024 — served over 200,000 individuals.
Faison described CSBs as the public safety net for behavioral health and developmental disability services, noting most clients are on Medicaid or uninsured and that CSBs prioritize people with the most severe and complex conditions. She described how CSBs vary by local structure (single- and multi-jurisdiction) but share a recovery-oriented, person-centered mission.
On the developmental disability (DD) waiver rollout, Faison said the General Assembly approved 3,440 additional waiver slots and that the state has implemented a quarterly “slow roll” for assigning slots. She said 900 slots were approved in August, 822 assigned, and 179 individuals had service authorizations at the time of her remarks. Faison explained families have up to 150 days after assignment to initiate services and stressed the need to convert assigned slots into active service authorizations within that period to avoid losing slots.
Faison said the VACSB requested $8,700,000 to support onboarding of support coordinators — the key role that helps families access services — and explained the funding would address the gap between when staff are hired (or authorized) and when they develop a full billable caseload. She estimated a reasonable caseload for a support coordinator at roughly 30–35 clients, noting actual caseloads vary by region.
On Step Virginia and same-day access, Faison said every CSB received $270,000 to implement same-day access capacity and explained that same-day access provides a timely assessment and a first offered appointment (within 10 days), not necessarily immediate long-term clinical services. She said the CSB network supports services for veterans, children and adults with co-occurring conditions and partners with housing, education and other local stakeholders.
Faison urged members to get to know their local CSB leadership and noted the VACSB annual report provides regional detail and funding breakdowns.
