The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) earned a 2025 AWS Champions Award for its initiative to modernize the state’s behavioral health IT ecosystem. Through a cloud-smart strategy, DBHDS dramatically improved service delivery, data transparency, and operational efficiency, setting a new standard for how public health services can be delivered at scale through cloud-native technologies.
Project Overview
At the heart of DBHDS’s efforts is the modernization of its Enterprise Data Ecosystem, a strategic undertaking aimed at migrating key applications to the AWS Cloud while re-architecting them for optimal performance, security, and user experience. The goal was to unify fragmented systems, streamline workflows, and ensure real-time data access for internal and external stakeholders serving Virginians across the behavioral health spectrum.
One of the flagship outcomes of this initiative is the development of a centralized application portal designed to consolidate access across multiple systems. This portal integrates a secure multi-factor authentication framework using AWS Cognito and OKTA, ensuring seamless and compliant user access.
Tackling Complexity: From Legacy Bottlenecks to Cloud Agility
Before modernization, critical services, including the Discharge Assistance Program (DAP), were hampered by outdated, manual processes. Discharge planning often relied on disjointed spreadsheets, email communications, and siloed systems.
To address these challenges, DBHDS selected DAP as the first application to be redeveloped and deployed through its new cloud-based portal. The DAP system now runs on a modern architecture powered by AWS EventBridge, enabling real-time integration with internal and partner systems. This shift has allowed community service providers to track discharge activities, prioritize cases, and take timely actions based on accurate, up-to-date information, all within a secure, centralized platform.
Key Outcomes: Speed, Visibility, and Accountability
The transformation of DAP is delivering measurable outcomes:
- Reduced processing time: Tasks that previously took days or weeks are now completed in minutes or hours, thanks to streamlined workflows and automation.
- Transparency and real-time tracking: Full visibility across all stages of the discharge process empowers faster decision-making and improves interagency coordination.
- Automation and error reduction: Intelligent automation eliminates routine administrative tasks and reduces manual errors, lightening the burden on staff.
- Robust security and compliance: The deployment of comprehensive audit trails and financial tracking ensures data integrity, fiscal responsibility, and strict regulatory compliance.
“This success highlights what visionary leadership and cross-organizational collaboration can achieve. Together, we’ve set a new benchmark for speed, security, and teamwork in government technology modernization.” — Kris Rudravarjula, Chief EA & Deputy CIO, Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
“We are driving technology advancement for the state of Virginia by leveraging AWS coupled with modern architecture and design patterns.” — Russell Accashian, CIO, Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
Innovation at Scale: Building the Foundation for the Future
What makes DBHDS’s accomplishment particularly significant is that this was the first initiative of its kind within both the department and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Setting up a secure AWS networking architecture in a tightly regulated government cloud environment required meticulous design, cross-agency collaboration (notably with VITA), and a deep commitment to scalability and user-centric design.
The development of single-page, serverless applications has not only improved the user experience but also minimized operational overhead.
This project has laid a repeatable foundation for future modernization efforts across DBHDS and other Commonwealth agencies, demonstrating that once the initial compliance and architectural investments are made, the pace of transformation accelerates dramatically.
