{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/37.2-312.2.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/37.2-312.2.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/37.2-312.2.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/37.2-312.2.html"}],"law_id":62132,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62132,"structure_id":12846,"section_number":"37.2-312.2","catch_line":"Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program","history":"2016, c. 407.","full_text":"A\n\nFor the purposes of this section, “certified trainer” means a person who has successfully completed a Mental Health First Aid instructor training program offered by the national authorities of Mental Health First Aid USA or the Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program and obtained a certification as an instructor of Mental Health First Aid.B\n\nThe Department shall establish and administer the Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program (the Program) to provide training by certified trainers of individuals residing or working in the Commonwealth on how to identify and assist individuals who have or may be developing a mental health or substance use disorder or who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. Such program shall include training on:1\n\nBuilding mental health and substance abuse literacy designed to help the public identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illness and substance abuse;2\n\nAssisting individuals who have or may be developing a mental health or substance use disorder or who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis by (i) recognizing the symptoms of a mental health or substance use disorder; (ii) providing initial assistance to those experiencing a mental health crisis; (iii) guiding individuals requiring assistance, including individuals who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis, toward appropriate professional assistance; (iv) providing comfort to an individual experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis; (v) helping an individual with a mental health or substance use disorder avoid a mental health or substance abuse crisis that may lead to more costly interventions and treatments; and (vi) promoting healing, recovery, and good mental health.C\n\nThe Department shall ensure that evaluative criteria are established to measure the effectiveness of the Program, including fidelity of the Program and training provided thereunder to the objectives set forth in subsection B.D\n\nNeither the Department nor any other agency of the Commonwealth shall incur any liability by reason of (i) any action taken by an employer or other person on the basis of information or materials provided through the Program or (ii) any workplace violence that occurs, regardless of whether the workplace at which an episode of workplace violence occurs had received information or materials provided through the Program.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":226674,"text":"For the purposes of this section, “certified trainer” means a person who has successfully completed a Mental Health First Aid instructor training program offered by the national authorities of Mental Health First Aid USA or the Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program and obtained a certification as an instructor of Mental Health First Aid.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":226675,"text":"The Department shall establish and administer the Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program (the Program) to provide training by certified trainers of individuals residing or working in the Commonwealth on how to identify and assist individuals who have or may be developing a mental health or substance use disorder or who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. Such program shall include training on:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":226676,"text":"Building mental health and substance abuse literacy designed to help the public identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illness and substance abuse;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":226677,"text":"Assisting individuals who have or may be developing a mental health or substance use disorder or who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis by (i) recognizing the symptoms of a mental health or substance use disorder; (ii) providing initial assistance to those experiencing a mental health crisis; (iii) guiding individuals requiring assistance, including individuals who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis, toward appropriate professional assistance; (iv) providing comfort to an individual experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis; (v) helping an individual with a mental health or substance use disorder avoid a mental health or substance abuse crisis that may lead to more costly interventions and treatments; and (vi) promoting healing, recovery, and good mental health.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"C"},"4":{"id":226678,"text":"The Department shall ensure that evaluative criteria are established to measure the effectiveness of the Program, including fidelity of the Program and training provided thereunder to the objectives set forth in subsection B.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B2","next_prefix":"D"},"5":{"id":226679,"text":"Neither the Department nor any other agency of the Commonwealth shall incur any liability by reason of (i) any action taken by an employer or other person on the basis of information or materials provided through the Program or (ii) any workplace violence that occurs, regardless of whether the workplace at which an episode of workplace violence occurs had received information or materials provided through the Program.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":12846,"edition_id":1,"name":"The Department and the Commissioner","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12845,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","permalink":{"id":209715,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12846,"identifier":"1","token":"37.2\/I\/3\/1","url":"\/37.2\/I\/3\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12845,"edition_id":1,"name":"Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental 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This law was first created in 2016. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 407<\/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.<\/p>","references":[{"id":80956,"section_number":"22.1-298.6","catch_line":"Mental health awareness training","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-298.6\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":209805,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62132,"identifier":"37.2-312.2","token":"37.2\/I\/3\/1\/37.2-312.2","url":"\/37.2-312.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/37.2-312.2\/","token":"37.2\/I\/3\/1\/37.2-312.2","dublin_core":{"Title":"Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 37.2-312.2","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> For the purposes of this section, “certified trainer<\/span>” means a person who has successfully completed a Mental Health First Aid instructor training program offered by the national authorities of Mental Health First Aid USA or the Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program and obtained a certification as an instructor of Mental Health First Aid. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Department<\/span> shall establish and administer the Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program (the Program) to provide training by certified trainers<\/span> of individuals<\/span> residing or working in the Commonwealth on how to identify and assist individuals<\/span> who have or may be developing a mental health or substance use disorder or who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse<\/span> crisis. Such program shall include training on: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Building mental health and substance abuse<\/span> literacy designed to help the public identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illness<\/span> and substance abuse<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Assisting individuals<\/span> who have or may be developing a mental health or substance use disorder or who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse<\/span> crisis by (i) recognizing the symptoms of a mental health or substance use disorder; (ii) providing initial assistance to those experiencing a mental health crisis; (iii) guiding individuals<\/span> requiring assistance, including individuals<\/span> who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse<\/span> crisis, toward appropriate professional assistance; (iv) providing comfort to an individual<\/span> experiencing a mental health or substance abuse<\/span> crisis; (v) helping an individual<\/span> with a mental health or substance use disorder avoid a mental health or substance abuse<\/span> crisis that may lead to more costly interventions and treatments; and (vi) promoting healing, recovery, and good mental health. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Department<\/span> shall ensure that evaluative criteria are established to measure the effectiveness of the Program, including fidelity of the Program and training provided thereunder to the objectives set forth in subsection B. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Neither the Department<\/span> nor any other agency of the Commonwealth shall incur any liability by reason of (i) any action taken by an employer or other person on the basis of information or materials<\/span> provided through the Program or (ii) any workplace violence that occurs, regardless of whether the workplace at which an episode of workplace violence occurs had received information or materials<\/span> provided through the Program. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOMMONWEALTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID PROGRAM (\u00a7 37.2-312.2)\n\nA. For the purposes of this section, “certified trainer” means a\nperson who has successfully completed a Mental Health First Aid instructor\ntraining program offered by the national authorities of Mental Health First Aid\nUSA or the Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program and obtained a\ncertification as an instructor of Mental Health First Aid.\n\nB. The Department shall establish and administer the Commonwealth Mental Health\nFirst Aid Program (the Program) to provide training by certified trainers of\nindividuals residing or working in the Commonwealth on how to identify and\nassist individuals who have or may be developing a mental health or substance\nuse disorder or who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse\ncrisis. Such program shall include training on:\n\n 1. Building mental health and substance abuse literacy designed to help the\n public identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illness and\n substance abuse;\n\n 2. Assisting individuals who have or may be developing a mental health or\n substance use disorder or who may be experiencing a mental health or substance\n abuse crisis by (i) recognizing the symptoms of a mental health or substance\n use disorder; (ii) providing initial assistance to those experiencing a mental\n health crisis; (iii) guiding individuals requiring assistance, including\n individuals who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis,\n toward appropriate professional assistance; (iv) providing comfort to an\n individual experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis; (v) helping\n an individual with a mental health or substance use disorder avoid a mental\n health or substance abuse crisis that may lead to more costly interventions\n and treatments; and (vi) promoting healing, recovery, and good mental health.\n\nC. The Department shall ensure that evaluative criteria are established to\nmeasure the effectiveness of the Program, including fidelity of the Program and\ntraining provided thereunder to the objectives set forth in subsection B.\n\nD. Neither the Department nor any other agency of the Commonwealth shall incur\nany liability by reason of (i) any action taken by an employer or other person\non the basis of information or materials provided through the Program or (ii)\nany workplace violence that occurs, regardless of whether the workplace at which\nan episode of workplace violence occurs had received information or materials\nprovided through the Program.\n\nHISTORY: 2016, c. 407.","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}}