Mental Health First Aid Program; DOE, et al., to develop, participation by school staff & students.
Summary
SB1377 directs the Virginia Department of Education, working with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, to create and carry out a plan to increase participation in the Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program by public school staff and students. The bill focuses on making training easier to access by offering it at multiple schools across the state, at different times of day, and both during and outside the school day.
The required plan must also include outreach and incentive strategies, along with informational materials explaining the program, its benefits, where and when training will be offered, and that the training is free for staff and students. In effect, the bill is aimed at expanding awareness and participation in mental health training within public schools rather than mandating a new curriculum or licensing requirement.
Impact
The bill does not create a new standalone program; instead, it directs state education and behavioral health agencies to promote and facilitate participation in an existing Mental Health First Aid Program established in the Code of Virginia. Its practical effect is to require state-level coordination, outreach, and scheduling support for training opportunities in public schools, with an emphasis on accessibility and no-cost participation for staff and students. It may affect school divisions, public school employees, and students by increasing access to mental health awareness and response training, while leaving implementation details to the agencies.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly and strongly supported. It passed the Senate unanimously, moved through House committees without opposition, and passed the House 97-0. The vote history suggests little to no partisan or policy resistance, indicating general agreement that expanding mental health first aid training in schools is beneficial and noncontroversial.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available record. The main policy choices in the bill are administrative rather than ideological: how aggressively the agencies should incentivize participation, how widely training should be offered across school divisions, and how to balance scheduling during and outside the school day. Any concerns would likely center on implementation logistics, coordination between agencies, and ensuring schools can host training without disrupting operations, but no opposing arguments are reflected in the vote history provided.