2025 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 624
Commending the Albemarle County Human Services Alternative Response Team.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 17, 2025
WHEREAS, in 2024, the Albemarle County Human Services Alternative Response Team received a prestigious Achievement Award from the Virginia Association of Counties for its innovative work to provide support for community members experiencing an emergency related to mental health, behavioral health, or substance abuse; and
WHEREAS, the Albemarle County Human Services Alternative Response Team (HART) was established in 2023 after local law-enforcement officers and other emergency services personnel reported an increase in calls for service related to mental health, behavioral health, or substance abuse; and
WHEREAS, Albemarle County HART was created to de-escalate and stabilize such situations in a timely manner, connecting individuals experiencing a crisis with support services to keep them out of jail or the emergency room; and
WHEREAS, since its founding, Albemarle County HART has assisted more than 550 individuals, with the majority of calls for service relating to behavioral health crises; and
WHEREAS, Albemarle County HART was initially composed of a paramedic, an officer of the Albemarle County Police Department, and a human services professional from the Department of Social Services; the county has since expanded staffing to better serve the community; and
WHEREAS, a record number of 145 organizations were submitted for the 2024 Virginia Association of Counties' Achievement Award, and Albemarle County HART was one of only 45 winners, demonstrating the program's contributions to the public and its value as a model for other counties around the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Albemarle County Human Services Alternative Response Team hereby be commended on receiving a 2024 Achievement Award from the Virginia Association of Counties; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Albemarle County Human Services Alternative Response Team as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the team's compassionate care and service to community members in need.