Panel advances guidance bill for annual teen mental-health screenings, sends substitute forward

House Bill 355 asks the Department of Education, in consultation with Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and other stakeholders, to develop best practices for annual mental-health screenings for public school students in grades 6–12.

Sponsor testimony said the bill uses evidence-based tools and includes an enactment clause to have the school health services committee study and report by a stated date. Deborah Bridal of the Virginia Counselors Association and Dr. Liz Nigro of Voices for Virginia’s Children testified in support, saying screening and early intervention are crucial. DOT Walton (VEA) and Department of Education assistant superintendent Rebecca Orich described how the work would align with existing system tools and funding sources.

Committee members negotiated to keep an enactment clause limited to the study (the substitute), expressing concern about imposing too many operational requirements on VDOE at a busy moment; the sponsor accepted the amendment. The committee recommended reporting the substituted bill with a recorded vote of 3 yes, 1 no and 1 abstention.

If advanced, the bill would require relevant state bodies to study screening best practices and report back, with implementation choices left to districts and state boards where appropriate.