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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72049</law_id><section_number>9.1-203.1</section_number><catch_line>Firefighter mental health awareness training</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="9.1">Commonwealth Public Safety</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Department of Fire Programs</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Each fire department as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/27-6.01/">27-6.01</a> shall develop curricula for mental health awareness training for its personnel, which shall include training regarding the following: <a id="paragraph-259630" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-203.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Understanding signs and symptoms of cumulative stress, depression, anxiety, exposure to acute and chronic trauma, compulsive behaviors, and addiction; <a id="paragraph-259631" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-203.1/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Combating and overcoming stigmas; <a id="paragraph-259632" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-203.1/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Responding appropriately to aggressive behaviors such as domestic violence and harassment; <a id="paragraph-259633" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-203.1/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Accessing available <span class="dictionary">mental health treatment</span> and resources; and <a id="paragraph-259634" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-203.1/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Managing stress, self-care techniques, and resiliency. <a id="paragraph-259635" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-203.1/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any fire department may develop the mental health awareness training curricula in conjunction with other fire departments or firefighter stakeholder groups or may use any training program, developed by any entity, that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection A. <a id="paragraph-259636" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-203.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Firefighters who receive mental health awareness training in accordance with this section shall receive appropriate continuing education credits from the Department of Fire Programs and the Virginia Fire Services Board. <a id="paragraph-259637" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-203.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2018, cc. 456, 658; 2020, c. 1262.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
