RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A group of Virginia lawmakers says there is bipartisan support for reforming the state's mental health care system and the way inmates receive treatment.
Several lawmakers held a news conference Wednesday to discuss reform measures put forward this session. They were joined by family members of Jamycheal Mitchell, who suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and died in a Portsmouth jail after his arrest for stealing $5 worth of junk food.
Advocates hope Mitchell's death will spur change in Virginia, which lags behind much of the country in general-fund spending on behavioral health care.
The push comes amid a challenging budget year. Lawmakers must find a way to close an estimated $1.26 billion budget gap.
Mitchell's family pleaded that lawmakers prioritize the measures.