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HB38 • 2026

Public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction, requirements.

An Act to amend and reenact § 22.1-298.6 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction; requirements.

Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Henson
Last action
2026-04-02
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details about how schools will ensure compliance with this requirement.

Mental Health Training for School Staff

This act requires public school teachers and other full-time staff to complete mental health awareness training that focuses on youth at high risk of mental health challenges, based on best practices from the American Psychological Association.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires each teacher and relevant personnel employed full-time in Virginia's public schools to take mental health awareness training.
  • Specifies that this training must cover specific groups of young people who are more likely to face mental health issues, such as those dealing with grief from suicide loss or those identifying as LGBTQ+.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Teachers and other full-time staff in Virginia's public schools
  • Youth populations at high risk of experiencing mental health issues

Terms To Know

evidence-based best practices
methods that have been proven effective through research and are recommended by experts.
LGBTQ+
an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and others who identify as non-heterosexual or non-cisgender.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact content of the training beyond requiring it to address high-risk youth populations.
  • It is unclear how schools will ensure compliance with this requirement for all relevant personnel.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-02 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 47 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-02 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0047)

  3. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  4. 2026-03-10 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  5. 2026-03-06 House

    Signed by Speaker

  6. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Signed by President

  7. 2026-03-06 House

    Enrolled

  8. 2026-03-06 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB38ER)

  9. 2026-03-06 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB38)

  10. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  11. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  13. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  15. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

  16. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  17. 2026-02-26 Education and Health

    Reported from Education and Health (9-Y 6-N)

  18. 2026-02-19 Public Education

    Assigned Education sub: Public Education

  19. 2026-01-30 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB38)

  20. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  21. 2026-01-28 Education and Health

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

  22. 2026-01-27 House

    Read third time and passed House (68-Y 31-N 0-A)

  23. 2026-01-26 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  24. 2026-01-23 House

    Read first time

  25. 2026-01-21 Education

    Reported from Education (16-Y 6-N)

  26. 2026-01-20 K-12 Subcommittee

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

  27. 2026-01-19 K-12 Subcommittee

    Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee

  28. 2025-12-23 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101402D

  29. 2025-12-23 Education

    Referred to Committee on Education

Official Summary Text

Public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction; requirements.
Requires each teacher and other relevant personnel, as determined by the applicable school board, employed on a full-time basis to complete mental health awareness training that addresses the needs of youth populations that are at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders in accordance with evidence-based best practices developed by the American Psychological Association. Current law requires such teachers and personnel to complete mental health awareness training but does not contain any requirements relating to the specific topics such training must address. The bill prohibits any of its provisions or any policy adopted in accordance with its provisions from being construed to permit biased or discriminatory treatment of any youth population deemed to be at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
22.1-298.6
of the Code of Virginia, relating to public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction; requirements.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
22.1-298.6
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
22.1-298.6
. Mental health awareness training.
A. Each school board shall adopt and implement policies that require each teacher and other relevant personnel, as determined by the school board, employed on a full-time basis, to complete a mental health awareness training or similar program at least once.
Any such mental health awareness training or similar program shall address the needs of youth populations that are at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders in accordance with evidence-based best practices developed by the American Psychological Association, including youth who (i) are bereaved by suicide; (ii) have mental or physical disabilities or chronic health conditions, including substance use disorders; (iii) are experiencing homelessness or housing instability; (iv) are in foster care or other situations that may result in instability in a youth's custodial or living situation; or (v) identify as LGBTQ+. The provisions of this section or any policy adopted in accordance with the provisions of this section shall not be construed to permit biased or discriminatory treatment of any youth population deemed to be at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders.
B. Each school board shall provide required personnel the training required by subsection A and may contract with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, a community services board, a behavioral health authority, a nonprofit organization, or other certified trainer as defined in §
37.2-312.2
to provide such training. Such training may be provided via an online module.