The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office (VBSO) and Department of Human Services (DHS) will launch a new jail-based Restoration Pod on Aug. 17 to provide court-ordered competency restoration services to eligible inmates at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center (VBCC).
Virginia Beach is one of three jurisdictions in the commonwealth awarded grant funding by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to establish a competency restoration program in its local jail. The initiative aims to address the growing demand for forensic beds at state psychiatric hospitals, where defendants may wait weeks or months for transportation and an available bed before beginning restoration services.
The $1.8 million, two-year grant will fund the pod’s programming and staffing and paid for new game tables and chairs (photos attached to email) for the inmates. The Virginia Beach Restoration Pod is scheduled to begin accepting court-approved participants on Aug. 17 and will initially have capacity for four to five inmates.
“This program helps eligible individuals receive the services they need sooner while maintaining the safety and security of our correctional facility,” Sheriff Rocky Holcomb said. “It also supports our courts, relieves pressure on our state hospitals and reflects our commitment to addressing mental health needs responsibly and compassionately.”
When the court determines that a defendant is not competent to stand trial – which means they are unable to understand the legal proceedings against them or assist in their own defense – they must receive psychiatric treatment to restore them to competency. Following a court-ordered mental health evaluation, the court determines whether they require inpatient restoration services.
Previously, those ordered to receive inpatient restoration remained in jail while awaiting a bed at Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg. Through the new Virginia Beach program, individuals who meet the clinical, legal and security criteria will instead receive those services at the VBCC Restoration Pod.
It will also reduce the number of mental health transports required to be completed by VBSO deputies, which totaled 43 from January-June of this year.
The court retains authority over the defendant’s placement and legal proceedings. The VBSO does not determine whether someone is competent to stand trial or whether restoration services are required.
“I am so pleased that we are opening this new restoration program. This model improves collaboration and enables us to provide compassionate, efficient and timely services for individuals awaiting competency restoration, while reducing pressure on the state hospital system,” said DHS Director Aileen L. Smith. “By providing structured programming and mental health support directly within the jail, we’re helping individuals stabilize sooner, stay connected to their communities and move forward in the legal process with dignity.”
The Restoration Pod will provide many of the same core services offered by state hospital restoration programs, including:
- Individual and group therapy
- Psychiatric services
- Medication management
- Clinical stabilization
- Education about courtroom procedures and the roles of judges, attorneys and other court personnel
- Case management and discharge planning
- Coordination with the courts, jail staff and community mental health providers
Staff will include a psychiatric nurse practitioner, clinician, therapist and discharge planner. VBSO deputies assigned to maintain safety and security for the pod have completed specialized training through the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
Inmates will continue to follow all jail rules and regulations while receiving more intensive behavioral health treatment and restoration services than those available in other jail housing units.
The Virginia Beach DHS played a central role in developing the initiative and will provide the clinical expertise necessary to operate the program. The department’s Adult Correctional Services team already works inside the jail providing intake screenings, outpatient behavioral health services, case management, discharge planning and coordination with specialty courts.
“This is a true partnership,” Holcomb said. “Our deputies provide the secure environment, and our behavioral health partners provide the specialized clinical care. Neither agency could accomplish this alone.”
The program is intended primarily for defendants who may be restored to competency locally within a short period. Defendants requiring longer-term treatment will continue to go to Eastern State Hospital or another state facility based on the court’s orders, evaluator’s recommendations, clinical condition and/or security needs.
Officials expect the program to help:
- Begin restoration services sooner for eligible defendants
- Reduce the amount of time individuals remain in jail awaiting treatment
- Allow court cases to proceed more efficiently
- Preserve state hospital beds for those requiring inpatient psychiatric care
- Improve coordination among the courts, corrections and behavioral health providers
- Provide a more therapeutic environment for inmates living with serious mental illness
Program leaders will monitor outcomes including the number of people served, the time required to begin treatment, the length of restoration services, returns to court and the effect on state hospital referrals. Because Virginia Beach is among the first localities in Virginia to implement this model, the program will also provide valuable information about whether jail-based restoration can be expanded or replicated elsewhere in the commonwealth.
“This requires us to think differently about corrections and mental health,” Holcomb said. “We are proud to be on the ground floor of an initiative that could improve outcomes for defendants with mental illness, strengthen the justice system and help communities across Virginia.”
About the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office
The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office (VBSO) is responsible for operating the Virginia Beach Correctional Center, providing courtroom security, serving civil process paperwork and transporting inmates. Under the leadership of Sheriff Rocky Holcomb, the VBSO is committed to protecting public safety, providing professional service, operating with accountability and transparency, and investing in partnerships that strengthen the Virginia Beach community. Its organizational values are T.R.U.S.T. – transparency, respect, unity, service and training.
Media contact: Public Information Officer Toni Guagenti at tguagenti@vbso.net , 757-385-8446 or 757-373-5012 .