2022 West Virginia Code
Chapter 18. Education
Article 2. State Board of Education
§18-2-40a. Education on and Prevention of Self-Harm Behavior and Eating Disorders
(a) This section shall be known and cited as "Meghans Law".
(b) Training of public school employees and volunteers The state board shall promulgate, by September 1, 2022, a legislative rule pursuant to 29A-3B-1 et seq. of this code, and if necessary may promulgate an emergency rule in accordance with said article, to establish training requirements for all county board employees who might come into contact with a student, including full-time, part-time, and contract employees, as well as any volunteers of a school or school district that might come into contact with a student as such employees and volunteers may be further defined in the rule. The training shall be focused on developing skills, knowledge, and capabilities related to preventing, recognizing, and responding to students self-harm behaviors and eating disorders. The rule shall provide for at least the following:
(1) The required training shall include instruction and information to better equip schools and their employees, including how to:
(A) Recognize warning signs of self-harm behaviors and eating disorders that can lead to serious health issues and death;
(B) Support the healthy development of students by learning how to appropriately respond to or refer a student who exhibits warning signs of self-harm or eating disorders; and
(C) Provide consistent and standard protocols for responding to disclosures or discovery of self-harm or an eating disorder;
(2) The rule shall contain provisions to ensure that public school employees complete the required training every three years; and
(3) The rule may provide for this training to be administered virtually or through self-review of materials and resources provided by the state board.
(c) Education of middle school and high school students Beginning September 1, 2022, children in grades 5-12 shall receive information regarding self-harm and eating disorder signs, prevention, and treatment.
(1) This education shall occur at least once per academic school year.
(2) The information may be obtained from the Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities, a licensed healthcare provider, or from commercially developed awareness and prevention training programs for the awareness, treatment resources, and prevention of self-harm behavior and eating disorders approved by the state board in consultation with the bureau to assure the accuracy and appropriateness of the information.
(3) To facilitate this process and develop resources, the state board may promulgate a legislative rule pursuant to 29A-3B-1 et seq. of this code.
