Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) ordered a statewide review of mental health services after state Sen. Creigh Deeds’ (D) son fatally shot himself and stabbed his father following his release from psychiatric care.
McDonnell told the Washington Post in an interview published Wednesday that he ordered the Commonwealth’s secretary of health and human resources to evaluate the overall capacity of Virginia’s mental health system at both the state and local levels.
The governor also said he directed the secretary to review the sequence of events that led Gus Deeds, 24, to be released Monday following a mental health evaluation due to a lack of available psychiatric beds.
The Post reported that three hospitals near his father’s home did have beds available that day, but were never contacted about accepting a patient.
