“Delegate Bell worked tirelessly as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Mental Health Reform - many times holding meetings late into the night and even into the early morning hours. He is the kind of legislator who works hard no matter what it takes and his stewardship on this important issue is appreciated by the Academy and the medical profession in Virginia as a whole."

-- Dr. Sterling Ransone, President of the Virginia Association of Family Physicians.

Bell Fights for Mental Health Reform

After the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech, Delegate Bell chaired a bipartisan subcommittee to overhaul Virginia's mental health commitment laws. New laws written by Bell and other legislators include:

• Clear lines of responsibility and oversight over those receiving outpatient care.

• Revised standard for involuntary commitment.

• Colleges can inform parents when their child might seriously harm himself or others.

For his efforts, Delegate Bell was named the Delegate of the Year by the Virginia Association of Family Physicians (VAFP) and the Psychiatric Society of Virginia.

"We now have a solid legal framework to deal with persons with mental illness. We did not have one before."

--Senator Janet Howell (D-Fairfax)