For Immediate Release: January 3, 2025
Contact: communications@doe.virginia.gov
Todd.Reid@doe.virginia.gov
Richmond, Va. – To help ensure that parents are notified by their child’s school division in the occurrence of a school-related overdose, the Virginia Department of Education is offering a series of feedback sessions for parents, educators, and community members to share their thoughts on the Virginia Board of Education’s newly proposed School-Connected Overdose Response and Notification Guidelines to help local school divisions develop effective action plans for school-connected overdoses and timely parental notification.
The draft Guidelines for school divisions are built on Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 28, which was issued to ensure parents were promptly notified by the school division within 24 hours of any school-connected overdoses. Governor Youngkin issued Executive Order 28 in October 2023 following nine opioid-related drug overdoses at Loudoun County Schools. The Department issued final Guidance for school divisions on notifying parents regarding school-connected overdoses in February 2024. These new policy Guidelines add to that Guidance as a requirement of Senate Bill 498, enacted by the General Assembly in 2024.
Parents, educators, and interested community members from across the Commonwealth are invited to attend an online session and discuss their expectations and comment on the Guidelines. Those interested in attending or speaking at a feedback session must register using the following Zoom links listed below. Public comment regarding the Guidelines may also be provided through this public comment form.
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 — 5:30-7 p.m.
- Monday, January 13, 2025 — 5:30-7 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 14, 2025 — 5:30-7 p.m.
Governor Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin have made addressing the ongoing behavioral health and substance abuse and overdose crisis a top priority. The First Lady launched two campaigns, One Pill Can Kill, in partnership with Attorney General Jason Miyares, and It Only Takes One, to drive public and school-based awareness around the extreme threat that counterfeit drugs and opioids pose and the risks of fentanyl among Virginia’s youth.
In 2022, Governor Youngkin introduced his Right Help, Right Now initiative, a comprehensive plan to transform Virginia’s behavioral healthcare system. On November 1, 2023, the Governor issued Executive Order 28, prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of Virginia’s children by mandating comprehensive guidance on addressing school-connected overdoses with a focus on parental notification within 24 hours of a school-related overdose event. The VDOE’s official Guidance became final on February 15, 2024.
Juvenile drug overdoses in several Northern Virginia counties are down significantly since the issuance of Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order.
The 2024 General Assembly furthered this bi-partisan effort by passing Senate Bill 498 (Senator Jennifer Carroll Foy), which added § 22.1-272.1:1. to the Code of Virginia requiring the Virginia Board of Education to create Guidelines on school-connected overdose policies, response, and parental notification.
This coordinated set of Guidelines aligns with the requirements issued by Executive Order 28, § 22.1-272.1:1., and § 22.1-280.2:3. The VDOE collaborated with the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Virginia Department of Health, and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, and has had significant feedback from families, educators, law enforcement, and community members in the creation of the Guidance and draft Guidelines.
Virginians who would like to register to join the conversation at these virtual events, learn more about the proposed Guidelines, or share feedback, can visit VDOE’s Substance Use and Overdose webpage for more information.
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