Governor Tim Kaine is looking for advice on carrying out mental health and child-welfare reforms approved in this year's legislative session.

The administration is hiring a private consultant who will spend 90 days studying operations at the Departments of Health, Mental Health and Social Services.

The closer look at state mental and health departments was spurred after a mentally ill student, later found to have fallen through cracks in the state system, shot 32 people dead at Virginia Tech, then killed himself.

Reforms going into effect this summer revamp how the state identifies, monitors and treats the mentally ill.

Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marilyn Tavenner hopes to select a consultant in June. Costs to the state remain unclear.