(The Center Square) – Virginia lawmakers unanimously approved a plan to expand mental health first aid training in public high schools, allocating $200,000 for implementation.
The program aims to equip students and teachers with tools to recognize and respond to mental health concerns.
Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond, and Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling, D-Henrico, introduced Senate Bill 1377 and House Bill 2637.
Both bills direct the Virginia Department of Education and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to expand participation in the Mental Health First Aid Training Program.
The program, which began in 2016, offers training to help participants recognize signs of mental health conditions and substance abuse and respond appropriately. The expanded effort will offer high school students and teachers free training through self-paced online learning and live or virtual instruction.
Virginia ranks 48th in the nation for youth access to mental healthcare, according to a 2023 Mental Health America report. A 2022 study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission also found that 40% of surveyed high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless for at least two weeks.
The survey also found that 13% had seriously considered suicide.
A 2023 Behavioral Health report found that 49% of school districts had difficulty hiring school psychologists, with 59% citing a lack of funding as a key problem.
Virginia law requires one school counselor per 325 students. There is no mandate for school social workers or psychologists.
The program aligns with the governor’s broader efforts to improve mental health services across the Commonwealth. Youngkin’s 2022 ‘Right Help, Right Now’ initiative is a three-year plan targeting crisis response expansion, workforce funding increases and improvements to behavioral health services.
As part of the initiative, Youngkin proposed $23 million in 2024 to expand school-based mental health services, including telehealth programs for students in grades 6-12. His previous budgets included $15 million for community mental health programs and $9 million to expand telehealth services in schools and colleges.
However, while Youngkin’s initiatives provide additional funding for mental health services, the bill does not allocate any new state funding, but the Virginia Department of Education and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services estimate first-year costs of $200,000 for training materials and program implementation.
The ongoing annual program maintenance and support costs are projected to be $150,000, covered by existing agency budgets.
