A push for reform of Virginia’s juvenile justice system emerged Thursday as a new priority for lawmakers to address in the two-year state budget, along with continuing concerns about inadequate funding of behavioral health, especially support services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
A coalition of public policy organizations called RISE for Youth urged members of the General Assembly money committees to back a broad plan proposed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe to replace the state’s remaining two juvenile correctional centers and invest the savings in community programs to keep youths out of prison.
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