Are the Norfolk Community Services Board and the Norfolk Magistrates Violating § 37.2-809?: The NCSB states they currently are not violating the code

Friday, March 7, 2014

The NCSB states they currently are not violating the code

Today, I spoke briefly with a member of NCSB.

As I best understand it, they have now separated the two functions: ES pre-screenings and routine hospital evaluations. They, by contract with NGH, provide workers who perform evaluations in the ER. If the hospital worker, after doing an evaluation, feels a patient needs to be evaluated for a possible TDO, the hospital worker calls ES and requests a pre-screening.

The contract shown on this site, that ends August 31, 2013, does specify a separation between the two functions.

My best guess, is that when the present director started working and reviewed the relationship between NCSB and NGH, contract changes were made.

I think it would be reasonable to assume, that the present contract is similar to the one ending August 31, 2013.

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What is the purpose of this site?

Norfolk Community Services Board (NCSB) entered into an agreement with Sentara Norfolk General Hospital (NGH) to do their psychiatric evaluations.

They, the employees of NCSB, are then detaining (Temporary Detaining Order [TDO]) some of our citizens who they evaluate to the the eighth-floor psychiatric unit at NGH.

I contend, if you will, that this violates § 37.2-809, section A.

Note: Click on the link, My letter to the head of VA mental health to better understand why I'm saying there's a violation.

February 24, 2014

Did the City Attorney of Norfolk not send a letter?

It's my understanding that shortly after the agreement with NGH began in January 2010, an employee of NCSB emergency services requested a letter from the City Attorney stating that the agreement with NGH didn't violate the code. The employee was concerned about the legality and the ethics of working for NGH. The employee had a professional license and was concerned that working for NGH could cause problems with the licensing board.

As I understand it the employee did not receive a letter from the City Attorney.

Edit: February 26, 2014, I have verified this. Yes, this happened.

What is an emergency services unit and what do they do?

Each community services board has an emergency services (ES) unit. ES is a state mandated service and a worker must be available at all times.

While they do crisis counseling, both telephone and in person, their main function, I guess you could say, is to do mental health evaluations and make recommendations to magistrates about Temporary Detaining Orders (TDO).

A TDO is secured from a magistrate and admits a citizen involuntarily to a psychiatric hospital.

Many states use medical doctors or licensed counselors to do the evaluations. In the state of Virginia only a worker from ES does evaluations.

BTW, if you live in the city of Norfolk and you or a family member or friend ever need mental health emergency services, call 664-7690. Someone will answer the phone 24 hours a day.

This is a short version, if you will, of what the workers do.

Are the Norfolk Community Services Board and the Norfolk Magistrates Violating § 37.2-809?

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Friday, March 7, 2014

The NCSB states they currently are not violating the code

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