2006 Code of Virginia § 22.1-272.1 - Responsibility to contact parent of student at imminent risk of suicide; notice to be given to soci...

22.1-272.1. Responsibility to contact parent of student at imminent risk ofsuicide; notice to be given to social services if parental abuse or neglect;Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Mental Health,Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and the Department of Health,to develop guidelines for parental contact.

A. Any person licensed as administrative or instructional personnel by theBoard of Education and employed by a local school board who, in the scope ofhis employment, has reason to believe, as a result of direct communicationfrom a student, that such student is at imminent risk of suicide, shall, assoon as practicable, contact at least one of such student's parents to askwhether such parent is aware of the student's mental state and whether theparent wishes to obtain or has already obtained counseling for such student.Such contact shall be made in accordance with the provisions of theguidelines required by subsection C.

B. If the student has indicated that the reason for being at imminent risk ofsuicide relates to parental abuse or neglect, this contact shall not be madewith the parent. Instead, the person shall, as soon as practicable, notifythe local department of social services of the county or city wherein thechild resides or wherein the abuse or neglect is believed to have occurred orthe state Department of Social Services' toll-free child abuse and neglecthotline, as required by 63.2-1509. When giving this notice to the local orstate department, the person shall stress the need to take immediate actionto protect the child from harm.

C. The Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of MentalHealth, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and the Department ofHealth, shall develop guidelines for making the contact required bysubsection A. These guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, (i)criteria to assess the suicide risks of students, (ii) characteristics toidentify potentially suicidal students, (iii) appropriate responses tostudents expressing suicidal intentions, (iv) available and appropriatecommunity services for students expressing suicidal intentions, (v) suicideprevention strategies which may be implemented by local schools for studentsexpressing suicidal intentions, (vi) criteria for notification of anddiscussions with parents of students expressing suicidal intentions, (vii)criteria for as-soon-as-practicable contact with the parents, (viii)appropriate sensitivity to religious beliefs, and (ix) legal requirements andcriteria for notification of public service agencies, including, but notlimited to, the local or state social services and mental health agencies.These guidelines may include case studies and problem-solving exercises andmay be designed as materials for in-service training programs for licensedadministrative and instructional personnel.

(1999, c. 425.)