Establishing a pilot program to develop school-based mental and behavioral health services

HB 5247 Text

skip navigation

SENATE

PRESIDENT

SENATORS

COMMITTEES

VIDEO/AUDIO

DISTRICT MAPS

SENATE CLERK

SENATE RULES

HOUSE

SPEAKER

DELEGATES

COMMITTEES

VIDEO/AUDIO

DISTRICT MAPS

HOUSE CLERK

HOUSE RULES

HOUSE STAFF

JOINT

INTERIM COMMITTEES

LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATOR

LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DIVISION

PUBLIC INFORMATION

LEGISLATIVE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS DIVISION

LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR'S OFFICE

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION & RESEARCH DIVISION

POST AUDIT DIVISION

BUDGET DIVISION

REGULATORY AND FISCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION

CLAIMS COMMISSION

CRIME VICTIMS

RULE-MAKING REVIEW

SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS

JUDICIAL COMP. COMMISSION

JOINT RULES

STAFF INFO

BILL STATUS

BILL STATUS

BILL TRACKING

STATE LAW

WEST VIRGINIA CODE

ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE

CODE OF 1931

WV CONSTITUTION

US CONSTITUTION

REPORTS

AGENCY REPORTS

AGENCY GRANT AWARDS

PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS

POST AUDITS

EDUCATIONAL

CITIZEN’S GUIDE

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

PAGE PROGRAM

PUBLICATIONS

PHOTO GALLERY

CAPITOL HISTORY

HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW

CONTACT

SENATE ROSTER

HOUSE ROSTER

PUBLIC INFO.

NEWS RELEASES

HELPFUL LINKS

Introduced Version

House Bill 5247 History

|
Email

Key:
Green
= existing Code.
Red
= new code to be enacted

WEST virginia legislature

FISCAL NOTE

2026 regular session
House Bill 5247
By Delegates Hornbuckle and Lewis
[
Introduced February 05, 2026; referred to the Committee on Education then Finance
]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18A-5-9, relating to establishing a pilot program to develop school-based mental and behavioral health services as an alternative to disciplinary action for disruptive student behavior.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 5. AUTHORITY; RIGHTS; RESPONSIBILITY.

§18A-5-9. Pilot program for expansion of school-based mental health and school-based diversion.

(a) As used in this section:
"Expanded school mental health framework" means any program authorized and created under the collaboration between the West Virginia Department of Education and the West Virginia Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities to provide mental and behavioral health services to students;
"Mental and behavioral health services" means any individualized or group program designed to provide pharmacological, therapeutic, emotional, or behavioral health supports; and
"School-based health center" means any federally qualified health center operating on school grounds.
(b) The Department of Education shall develop a three-year pilot program to establish school-based mental and behavioral health services for students and families as an alternative to the disciplinary measures authorized in §18A-5-1 of this code.
(c) The pilot program will be available to schools that have implemented:
(1) A school-based health center providing mental and behavioral health services; or
(2) The expanded school mental health framework.
(d) The pilot program shall require that participating schools:
(1) Through direct employment or contractual relationship, provide mental and behavioral health services.
(2) Through direct employment or contractual relationship, have appropriate services available for all levels of need.
(3) Authorize employees or contractors who provide mental and behavioral health services to do the following:
(A) Receive referrals for students who violate the disciplinary code;
(B) Receive referrals from a judge, juvenile referee, or magistrate for treatment as part of a diversion or disposition;
(C) Provide a mental or behavioral health assessment to the student;
(D) Provide ongoing services to the student if merited by the assessment;
(E) Contact the family and household members of the students:
(i) To obtain additional information about the student's case; and
(ii) To offer services to family or household members.
(F) Provide services to family members and household members of the student; and
(G) Provide services to community members:
Provided
, That all students and students' family members can be provided services first.
(4) Bill and collect payment for services rendered from the insurance of families and community members, from the school, in the case of referral for behavior, or the Department of Human Services in the case of court order.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the State Department of Education to develop a pilot program to provide mental and behavioral health services as an alternative to suspending students for disruptive behaviors.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

Bill Status
|

Bill Tracking
|

Legacy WV Code
|

Bulletin Board
|

District Maps
|

Senate Roster
|

House Roster
|

Live
|

Blog
|

Jobs
|

Links
|

Home

This Web site is maintained by the
West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information.
|
Terms of Use
|

Webmaster
| © 2026 West Virginia Legislature **

Print On Demand

Name:

Email:

Phone: