Official Summary Text
Agricultural Workforce Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program established; report
. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Department) to establish and administer the Agricultural Workforce Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program (the Program) to support the mental health and well-being of the agricultural workforce, as defined in the bill, in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Program to (i) increase public awareness of mental health and suicide prevention, (ii) provide access to culturally and contextually appropriate mental health services, and (iii) address mental health challenges arising from certain stressors affecting agricultural communities in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Department to submit a report on the Program's progress, including data collected and any recommendations, to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources by September 1, 2027, and biennially thereafter.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
3.2-102.1
, relating to Agricultural Workforce Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program established; report.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
3.2-102.1
as follows:
§
3.2-102.1
.
Agricultural
Workforce Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program; report.
A.
As used in this section:
"Agricultural operation" means the same as t
hat term is defined in §
3.2-300
.
"Agricultural workforce" means
any
individual
,
or
employee of such
individual,
engaged in
an agricultural operation
.
"Program" means
the Agricultural
Workforce Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program established pursuant to this section.
B. The Department shall establish and administer the Agricultural Workfor
ce Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program to support the mental health and well-being of
the
agricultural
workforce
in the Commonwealth.
The Program shall:
1.
Increase public awareness of mental health and suicide prevention resources available to
the agriculture workforce;
2.
Provide access to culturally and contextually appropriate mental health services, including crisis inter
vention;
and
3.
Address mental health challenges arising from natural disasters, economic hardship, and industry-specific stressors affecting
the
agricultur
al
w
orkforce
in the Commonwealth.
C. In administering the Program, the Department shall
:
1. Develop and implement a statewide public awareness campaign on suicide prevention tailored to the agricultural workforce;
2.
Make and enter into contracts with nonprofit organizations
that have demonstrated expertise in
providing
rural or agricultural mental health
support
to establish a confidential crisis
support hotline
specific
to the experiences of the agricultural workforce;
3. Coordina
te with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and other state agencies to align mental health and crisis response efforts with existing state service
s, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
;
4. Develop mental wellness plans
addressing
the
effects of natural disasters and agricultural disruptions; and
5. Collect and analyze data o
n the effectiveness of the Program and
use such data to
provide recommendations for leg
islative or regulatory changes if needed.
D. The Department shal
l submit a report on the Program's progress, including data collected and any recommendations, to the Chair
men
of the House
Committee
on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Senate
Committee
on Agriculture, Conse
rvation and Natural Resources by September 1, 2027, and
biennially
thereafter.
E. The Board may adopt regulations as necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.