VA HB355

Requires the School Health Services Committee, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to study and recommend best practices for annual mental health screenings for public school students in grades 6-12 using evidence-based tools

Study must address procedures for parents to opt their children out of screenings and training requirements for effective administration of screening tools

Recommendations must include protocols for protecting confidentiality and privacy of screening results and any data collected, including storage best practices

Study must examine methods to accommodate bilingual students, students with disabilities, and students with low reading proficiency in the screening process

Findings must address procedures for real-time evaluation of results and same-day intervention by licensed mental health professionals when indicated, with recommendations included in the Committee's annual report