{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/22.1-272.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/22.1-272.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/22.1-272.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/22.1-272.1.html"}],"law_id":63093,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63093,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-272.1","catch_line":"Responsibility to contact parent of student at imminent risk of suicide; notice to be given to social services if parental abuse or neglect; Board of Education to develop guidelines for parental contact","history":"1999, c. 425; 2009, cc. 813, 840; 2025, c. 525.","full_text":"A\n\nAny person licensed as administrative or instructional personnel by the Board of Education and employed by a local school board who in the scope of his employment has reason to believe, as a result of direct communication from a student, that such student is at imminent risk of suicide shall, as soon as practicable, (i) contact at least one of such student&#8217;s parents to ask whether such parent is aware of the student&#8217;s mental state and whether the parent wishes to obtain or has already obtained counseling for such student and (ii) provide to the parent materials on suicide prevention that shall include information on the legal requirements set forth in &#xA7; 18.2-56.2 relating to the safe storage of firearms in the presence of minors and that may include guidance on best practices and strategies for limiting a student&#8217;s access to lethal means, including firearms and medications. Such contact shall be made and any materials on suicide prevention provided shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of the guidelines required by subsection C.B\n\nIf the student has indicated that the reason for being at imminent risk of suicide relates to parental abuse or neglect, this contact shall not be made with the parent. Instead, the person shall, as soon as practicable, notify the local department of social services of the county or city wherein the child resides or wherein the abuse or neglect is believed to have occurred or the state Department of Social Services&#8217; toll-free child abuse and neglect hotline, as required by &#xA7; 63.2-1509. When giving this notice to the local or state department, the person shall stress the need to take immediate action to protect the child from harm.C\n\nThe Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of Health, shall develop guidelines for making the contact required by subsection A. These guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, (i) criteria to assess the suicide risks of students; (ii) characteristics to identify potentially suicidal students; (iii) appropriate responses to students expressing suicidal intentions; (iv) available and appropriate community services for students expressing suicidal intentions; (v) suicide prevention strategies that may be implemented by local schools for students expressing suicidal intentions; (vi) criteria for notification of and discussions with parents of students expressing suicidal intentions; (vii) criteria for as-soon-as-practicable contact with the parents; (viii) criteria for selecting materials on suicide prevention, including those relating to safe firearm storage and best practices and strategies for limiting a student&#8217;s access to lethal means, to be provided to the parent of any student expressing suicidal intentions, including materials that have been pre-approved for such use by the Board; (ix) appropriate sensitivity to religious beliefs; and (x) legal requirements and criteria for notification of public service agencies, including, but not limited to, the local or state social services and mental health agencies. These guidelines may include case studies and problem-solving exercises and may be designed as materials for in-service training programs for licensed administrative and instructional personnel.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":230084,"text":"Any person licensed as administrative or instructional personnel by the Board of Education and employed by a local school board who in the scope of his employment has reason to believe, as a result of direct communication from a student, that such student is at imminent risk of suicide shall, as soon as practicable, (i) contact at least one of such student&#8217;s parents to ask whether such parent is aware of the student&#8217;s mental state and whether the parent wishes to obtain or has already obtained counseling for such student and (ii) provide to the parent materials on suicide prevention that shall include information on the legal requirements set forth in &#xA7; 18.2-56.2 relating to the safe storage of firearms in the presence of minors and that may include guidance on best practices and strategies for limiting a student&#8217;s access to lethal means, including firearms and medications. Such contact shall be made and any materials on suicide prevention provided shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of the guidelines required by subsection C.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":230085,"text":"If the student has indicated that the reason for being at imminent risk of suicide relates to parental abuse or neglect, this contact shall not be made with the parent. Instead, the person shall, as soon as practicable, notify the local department of social services of the county or city wherein the child resides or wherein the abuse or neglect is believed to have occurred or the state Department of Social Services&#8217; toll-free child abuse and neglect hotline, as required by &#xA7; 63.2-1509. When giving this notice to the local or state department, the person shall stress the need to take immediate action to protect the child from harm.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":230086,"text":"The Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of Health, shall develop guidelines for making the contact required by subsection A. These guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, (i) criteria to assess the suicide risks of students; (ii) characteristics to identify potentially suicidal students; (iii) appropriate responses to students expressing suicidal intentions; (iv) available and appropriate community services for students expressing suicidal intentions; (v) suicide prevention strategies that may be implemented by local schools for students expressing suicidal intentions; (vi) criteria for notification of and discussions with parents of students expressing suicidal intentions; (vii) criteria for as-soon-as-practicable contact with the parents; (viii) criteria for selecting materials on suicide prevention, including those relating to safe firearm storage and best practices and strategies for limiting a student&#8217;s access to lethal means, to be provided to the parent of any student expressing suicidal intentions, including materials that have been pre-approved for such use by the Board; (ix) appropriate sensitivity to religious beliefs; and (x) legal requirements and criteria for notification of public service agencies, including, but not limited to, the local or state social services and mental health agencies. These guidelines may include case studies and problem-solving exercises and may be designed as materials for in-service training programs for licensed administrative and instructional personnel.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13512,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health Provisions","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12850,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:06","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:06","permalink":{"id":182221,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13512,"identifier":"2","token":"22.1\/14\/2","url":"\/22.1\/14\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12850,"edition_id":1,"name":"Pupils","identifier":"14","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12823,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","permalink":{"id":182133,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12850,"identifier":"14","token":"22.1\/14","url":"\/22.1\/14\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12823,"edition_id":1,"name":"Education","identifier":"22.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":180949,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12823,"identifier":"22.1","token":"22.1","url":"\/22.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":83399,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-270","catch_line":"Preschool physical examinations","url":"\/22.1-270\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-270","metadata":false},{"id":57306,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/22.1-271\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271","metadata":false},{"id":68537,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/22.1-271.1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.1","metadata":false},{"id":54801,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.10","catch_line":"Guidelines and policies on student-athlete extreme heat safety and protection","url":"\/22.1-271.10\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.10","metadata":false},{"id":68882,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.2","catch_line":"Immunization requirements","url":"\/22.1-271.2\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.2","metadata":false},{"id":80851,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.3","catch_line":"Guidelines for school attendance for children infected with human immunodeficiency virus; school personnel training required; notification of school personnel in certain cases","url":"\/22.1-271.3\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.3","metadata":false},{"id":58904,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.4","catch_line":"Health requirements for home-instructed, exempted, and excused children","url":"\/22.1-271.4\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.4","metadata":false},{"id":58468,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.5","catch_line":"Guidelines and policies and procedures on concussions in student-athletes","url":"\/22.1-271.5\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.5","metadata":false},{"id":62863,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.6","catch_line":"School division policies and procedures on concussions in students","url":"\/22.1-271.6\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.6","metadata":false},{"id":74380,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.7","catch_line":"Public middle and high school student-athletes; pre-participation physical examination","url":"\/22.1-271.7\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.7","metadata":false},{"id":64618,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.8","catch_line":"Sudden cardiac arrest prevention in student-athletes","url":"\/22.1-271.8\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.8","metadata":false},{"id":61392,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-271.9","catch_line":"Cardiac emergency response or emergency action plans required","url":"\/22.1-271.9\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-271.9","metadata":false},{"id":60318,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-272","catch_line":"Contagious and infectious diseases","url":"\/22.1-272\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-272","metadata":false},{"id":63093,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-272.1","catch_line":"Responsibility to contact parent of student at imminent risk of suicide; notice to be given to social services if parental abuse or neglect; Board of Education to develop guidelines for parental contact","url":"\/22.1-272.1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-272.1","metadata":false},{"id":64351,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-272.1:1","catch_line":"School-connected student overdose policies; parental notification; guidelines","url":"\/22.1-272.1_1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-272.1_1","metadata":false},{"id":84018,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-272.2","catch_line":"Department; model memorandum of understanding; partnerships with community mental health services providers or a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider","url":"\/22.1-272.2\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-272.2","metadata":false},{"id":73957,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-272.3","catch_line":"Student access to telehealth services; school division policies","url":"\/22.1-272.3\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-272.3","metadata":false},{"id":68681,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-273","catch_line":"Vision and hearing of student to be tested; exceptions","url":"\/22.1-273\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-273","metadata":false},{"id":82468,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-273.1","catch_line":"Annual screening for scoliosis","url":"\/22.1-273.1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-273.1","metadata":false},{"id":80414,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-273.2","catch_line":"Parent educational information regarding eating disorders","url":"\/22.1-273.2\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-273.2","metadata":false},{"id":66325,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-273.3","catch_line":"Parent educational information regarding tobacco and nicotine vapor products","url":"\/22.1-273.3\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-273.3","metadata":false},{"id":54479,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-273.4","catch_line":"Department of Education; guidance and resources; applied behavior analysis services","url":"\/22.1-273.4\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-273.4","metadata":false},{"id":82301,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274","catch_line":"School health services","url":"\/22.1-274\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274","metadata":false},{"id":87246,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.01","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/22.1-274.01\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.01","metadata":false},{"id":62165,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.01:1","catch_line":"Students who are diagnosed with diabetes; self-care; insertion and reinsertion of insulin pump","url":"\/22.1-274.01_1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.01_1","metadata":false},{"id":62800,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.02","catch_line":"Certain memorandum of agreement required","url":"\/22.1-274.02\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.02","metadata":false},{"id":61298,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.1","catch_line":"Criteria to identify toxic art materials; labeling; use in certain grades prohibited","url":"\/22.1-274.1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.1","metadata":false},{"id":78246,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.2","catch_line":"Possession and administration of inhaled asthma medications, epinephrine, glucagon, and seizure rescue medications by certain students or school board employees","url":"\/22.1-274.2\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.2","metadata":false},{"id":55245,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.2:1","catch_line":"Grade nine and grade 10 health education Standards of Learning; severe allergic reaction awareness training","url":"\/22.1-274.2_1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.2_1","metadata":false},{"id":80659,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.3","catch_line":"Policies regarding medication recommendations by school personnel","url":"\/22.1-274.3\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.3","metadata":false},{"id":56415,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.4","catch_line":"Public elementary and secondary schools; automated external defibrillators required","url":"\/22.1-274.4\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.4","metadata":false},{"id":81947,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.4:1","catch_line":"Opioid antagonist procurement, placement, maintenance, and administration; staff and faculty training; policies and requirements","url":"\/22.1-274.4_1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.4_1","metadata":false},{"id":74919,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.5","catch_line":"Topical sunscreen","url":"\/22.1-274.5\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.5","metadata":false},{"id":78903,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.6","catch_line":"Seizure management and action plan; training","url":"\/22.1-274.6\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.6","metadata":false},{"id":73551,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.7","catch_line":"Students with disabilities; individualized education programs; individualized accommodations and supports during emergency situations and evacuations","url":"\/22.1-274.7\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.7","metadata":false},{"id":70375,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-274.8","catch_line":"School boards; bleeding control programs; bleeding control kits","url":"\/22.1-274.8\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-274.8","metadata":false},{"id":79734,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-275","catch_line":"Protective eye devices","url":"\/22.1-275\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-275","metadata":false},{"id":81726,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-275.1","catch_line":"School health advisory board","url":"\/22.1-275.1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-275.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":60318,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-272","catch_line":"Contagious and infectious diseases","url":"\/22.1-272\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-272","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":64351,"structure_id":13512,"section_number":"22.1-272.1:1","catch_line":"School-connected student overdose policies; parental notification; guidelines","url":"\/22.1-272.1_1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-272.1_1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/22.1-272.1\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1999. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?991+ful+CHAP0425\">425<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2009, chapters <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?091+ful+CHAP0813\">813<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?091+ful+CHAP0840\">840<\/a>; in 2025, chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?251+ful+CHAP0525\">525<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":57206,"section_number":"18.2-56.2","catch_line":"Allowing access to firearms by children; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-56.2\/"},{"id":86098,"section_number":"63.2-1509","catch_line":"Requirement that certain injuries to children be reported by physicians, nurses, teachers, etc.; penalty for failure to report","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1509\/"}],"permalink":{"id":182275,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63093,"identifier":"22.1-272.1","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-272.1","url":"\/22.1-272.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/22.1-272.1\/","token":"22.1\/14\/2\/22.1-272.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Responsibility to contact parent of student at imminent risk of suicide; notice to be given to social services if parental abuse or neglect; Board of Education to develop guidelines for parental contact","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 22.1-272.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section id=\"A\"><p><span class=\"prefix-number\">A.<\/span> Any person licensed as administrative or instructional personnel by the Board of Education and employed by a local <span class=\"dictionary\">school board<\/span> who in the scope of his employment has reason to believe, as a result of direct communication from a student, that such student is at imminent risk of suicide shall, as soon as practicable, (i) contact at least one of such student&#8217;s <span class=\"dictionary\"><span class=\"dictionary\">parents<\/span><\/span> to ask whether such <span class=\"dictionary\">parent<\/span> is aware of the student&#8217;s mental state and whether the <span class=\"dictionary\">parent<\/span> wishes to obtain or has already obtained counseling for such student and (ii) provide to the <span class=\"dictionary\">parent<\/span> <span class=\"dictionary\">materials<\/span> on suicide prevention that shall include information on the legal requirements set forth in &#xA7; <a class=\"law\" title=\"Allowing access to firearms by children; penalty\" href=\"\/18.2-56.2\/\">18.2-56.2<\/a> relating to the safe storage of firearms in the presence of <span class=\"dictionary\">minors<\/span> and that may include guidance on best practices and strategies for limiting a student&#8217;s access to lethal means, including firearms and medications. Such contact shall be made and any <span class=\"dictionary\">materials<\/span> on suicide prevention provided shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of the guidelines required by subsection C. <a id=\"paragraph-230084\" class=\"section-permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/vacode.org\/22.1-272.1\/#A\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section id=\"B\"><p><span class=\"prefix-number\">B.<\/span> If the student has indicated that the reason for being at imminent risk of suicide relates to parental abuse or neglect, this contact shall not be made with the <span class=\"dictionary\">parent<\/span>. Instead, the person shall, as soon as practicable, notify the local <span class=\"dictionary\">department<\/span> of social services of the county or city wherein the child resides or wherein the abuse or neglect is believed to have occurred or the state <span class=\"dictionary\">Department<\/span> of Social Services&#8217; toll-free child abuse and neglect hotline, as required by &#xA7; <a class=\"law\" title=\"Requirement that certain injuries to children be reported by physicians, nurses, teachers, etc.; penalty for failure to report\" href=\"\/63.2-1509\/\">63.2-1509<\/a>. When giving this notice to the local or state <span class=\"dictionary\">department<\/span>, the person shall stress the need to take immediate action to protect the child from harm. <a id=\"paragraph-230085\" class=\"section-permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/vacode.org\/22.1-272.1\/#B\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section id=\"C\"><p><span class=\"prefix-number\">C.<\/span> The Board of Education, in cooperation with the <span class=\"dictionary\">Department<\/span> of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the <span class=\"dictionary\">Department<\/span> of Health, shall develop guidelines for making the contact required by subsection A. These guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, (i) criteria to assess the suicide risks of students; (ii) characteristics to identify potentially suicidal students; (iii) appropriate responses to students expressing suicidal intentions; (iv) available and appropriate <span class=\"dictionary\">community services<\/span> for students expressing suicidal intentions; (v) suicide prevention strategies that may be implemented by local schools for students expressing suicidal intentions; (vi) criteria for notification of and discussions with <span class=\"dictionary\"><span class=\"dictionary\">parents<\/span><\/span> of students expressing suicidal intentions; (vii) criteria for as-soon-as-practicable contact with the <span class=\"dictionary\"><span class=\"dictionary\">parents<\/span><\/span>; (viii) criteria for selecting <span class=\"dictionary\">materials<\/span> on suicide prevention, including those relating to safe firearm storage and best practices and strategies for limiting a student&#8217;s access to lethal means, to be provided to the <span class=\"dictionary\">parent<\/span> of any student expressing suicidal intentions, including <span class=\"dictionary\">materials<\/span> that have been pre-approved for such use by the Board; (ix) appropriate sensitivity to religious beliefs; and (x) legal requirements and criteria for notification of public service agencies, including, but not limited to, the local or state social services and mental health agencies. These guidelines may include case studies and problem-solving exercises and may be designed as <span class=\"dictionary\">materials<\/span> for in-service training programs for licensed administrative and instructional personnel. <a id=\"paragraph-230086\" class=\"section-permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/vacode.org\/22.1-272.1\/#C\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRESPONSIBILITY TO CONTACT PARENT OF STUDENT AT IMMINENT RISK OF SUICIDE; NOTICE\nTO BE GIVEN TO SOCIAL SERVICES IF PARENTAL ABUSE OR NEGLECT; BOARD OF EDUCATION\nTO DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR PARENTAL CONTACT (\u00a7 22.1-272.1)\n\nA. Any person licensed as administrative or instructional personnel by the Board\nof Education and employed by a local school board who in the scope of his\nemployment has reason to believe, as a result of direct communication from a\nstudent, that such student is at imminent risk of suicide shall, as soon as\npracticable, (i) contact at least one of such student&#8217;s parents to ask\nwhether such parent is aware of the student&#8217;s mental state and whether the\nparent wishes to obtain or has already obtained counseling for such student and\n(ii) provide to the parent materials on suicide prevention that shall include\ninformation on the legal requirements set forth in &#xA7; 18.2-56.2 relating to\nthe safe storage of firearms in the presence of minors and that may include\nguidance on best practices and strategies for limiting a student&#8217;s access\nto lethal means, including firearms and medications. Such contact shall be made\nand any materials on suicide prevention provided shall be selected in accordance\nwith the provisions of the guidelines required by subsection C.\n\nB. If the student has indicated that the reason for being at imminent risk of\nsuicide relates to parental abuse or neglect, this contact shall not be made\nwith the parent. Instead, the person shall, as soon as practicable, notify the\nlocal department of social services of the county or city wherein the child\nresides or wherein the abuse or neglect is believed to have occurred or the\nstate Department of Social Services&#8217; toll-free child abuse and neglect\nhotline, as required by &#xA7; 63.2-1509. When giving this notice to the local\nor state department, the person shall stress the need to take immediate action\nto protect the child from harm.\n\nC. The Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Behavioral\nHealth and Developmental Services and the Department of Health, shall develop\nguidelines for making the contact required by subsection A. These guidelines\nshall include, but need not be limited to, (i) criteria to assess the suicide\nrisks of students; (ii) characteristics to identify potentially suicidal\nstudents; (iii) appropriate responses to students expressing suicidal\nintentions; (iv) available and appropriate community services for students\nexpressing suicidal intentions; (v) suicide prevention strategies that may be\nimplemented by local schools for students expressing suicidal intentions; (vi)\ncriteria for notification of and discussions with parents of students expressing\nsuicidal intentions; (vii) criteria for as-soon-as-practicable contact with the\nparents; (viii) criteria for selecting materials on suicide prevention,\nincluding those relating to safe firearm storage and best practices and\nstrategies for limiting a student&#8217;s access to lethal means, to be provided\nto the parent of any student expressing suicidal intentions, including materials\nthat have been pre-approved for such use by the Board; (ix) appropriate\nsensitivity to religious beliefs; and (x) legal requirements and criteria for\nnotification of public service agencies, including, but not limited to, the\nlocal or state social services and mental health agencies. These guidelines may\ninclude case studies and problem-solving exercises and may be designed as\nmaterials for in-service training programs for licensed administrative and\ninstructional personnel.\n\nHISTORY: 1999, c. 425; 2009, cc. 813, 840; 2025, c. 525.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}