The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office and Department of Human Services launched a specialized 26-cell Restoration Pod on August 17, 2026, at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center. Funded by a $1.8 million, two-year state grant, the unit provides court-ordered competency restoration services directly inside the local jail, according to announcements from the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office and reporting by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Addressing State Hospital Backlogs and Jail Delays
Individuals arrested with serious mental illnesses faced long delays behind bars while waiting for an open bed at overcrowded state facilities like Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, according to coverage by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Under the previous system, defendants found incompetent to stand trial—meaning they cannot understand legal proceedings or assist in their defense—had to wait for inpatient placement elsewhere. Virginia Beach Sheriff Rocky Holcomb stated that the new jail-based unit helps eligible individuals get required psychiatric care and legal education sooner while reducing the strain on state psychiatric infrastructure. State Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marvin Figueroa noted that similar jail restoration efforts at Riverside Regional Jail and the Arlington Detention Center help move defendants through the competency process more quickly.
Inside the Restoration Pod Operations
The unit occupies a 26-cell pod on the third floor of the correctional facility that previously housed lower-security inmates, utilizing a large common area equipped with new game tables and chairs purchased through grant funds, according to the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office. The pod operates with an initial capacity of four to five inmates who meet specific clinical, legal, and security criteria. Department of Human Services Director Aileen L. Smith explained that providing structured programming directly inside the facility helps individuals stabilize faster and stay connected to their communities. Staff assigned to the pod include a psychiatric nurse practitioner, a clinician, a therapist, and a discharge planner. Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office deputies assigned to maintain safety in the pod have completed specialized 40-hour crisis intervention team training and Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services instruction, according to Sergeant Brandon Mullen.
Core Services and Legal Oversight
The Restoration Pod delivers services mirroring state hospital programs, including individual and group therapy, psychiatric care, medication management, clinical stabilization, and courtroom procedure education, according to the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office. Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Commissioner Daryl Washington emphasized that local units provide an essential tool to manage capacity at state institutions, where facilities like Eastern State and Central State hospitals frequently operate near or above capacity with court-ordered patients. The local court system retains complete authority over each defendant’s legal proceedings and placement. Furthermore, the new program reduces logistical burdens for law enforcement, cutting down on secure mental health transports that previously required deputies to drive the 62-mile route to Eastern State Hospital dozens of times each year.
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