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2015 SESSION

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15102236D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 586 Offered January 14, 2015 Prefiled January 12, 2015 Requesting the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to study the results of offering voluntary mental health screenings to students in public elementary schools. Report. ---------- Patron-- Yost ---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, public school students in the Commonwealth are required to be tested and screened for various impairments, including vision impairments, hearing impairments, and scoliosis; and

WHEREAS, public school students in the Commonwealth are not routinely screened for mental illness; and

WHEREAS, an accurate picture of student mental health and early diagnosis of mental illness in students are crucial to ensuring the social and academic development of students in the public schools of the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services be requested to study the results of offering voluntary mental health screenings to students in public elementary schools.

In conducting its study, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall (i) identify one or more appropriate mental health screening tools, (ii) identify one or more school divisions in which the parents of each student shall be notified of the availability of such mental health screening tools and may give permission for their child to participate in a mental health screening, and (iii) analyze the (a) number and type of mental illness diagnoses, (b) additional in-school services provided to diagnosed students as a result of such screenings, and (c) most appropriate grade level for the administration of such screenings.

Technical assistance shall be provided to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services by the Department of Education. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services for this study, upon request.

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2015, and for the second year by November 30, 2016, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document for each year. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.