Bill Howard, LCSW

Bill Howard, LCSW, is the Director of Crisis Operations at the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). He leads statewide initiatives including the STEP-VA crisis continuum, 988 implementation, and the launch of Virginia Crisis Connect, a statewide crisis platform. His work has also driven the expansion of crisis stabilization units across Virginia. Bill has held multiple leadership roles at DBHDS, including Acting Assistant Commissioner and Regional Crisis Manager. A licensed clinical social worker, he brings over two decades of experience spanning direct care and systems-level crisis management. He earned his MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BA in Psychology from Wingate University.