Bill > HB48

This bill directs the Department of Health (VDH) to establish a work group focused on reducing suicides within the Commonwealth, with a particular emphasis on populations experiencing higher rates of suicide, such as youth, veterans, rural residents, LGBTQ+ individuals, and communities of color. This work group is tasked with developing and updating a statewide strategic plan every five years, which will include identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress in suicide reduction and proposing a framework for collecting, reporting, and sharing data to improve efficiency and inter-agency collaboration. The bill also mandates the creation of an interim report detailing progress towards these KPIs, comparing the Commonwealth's performance to other states, identifying and addressing barriers to timely data collection and reporting, and offering legislative and budget recommendations. The work group will be composed of representatives from various state agencies, including health, behavioral health, veterans services, education, corrections, and medical assistance services, along with members from a suicide prevention organization, a suicide prevention professional, and individuals with lived experience from at-risk populations. VDH will be responsible for organizing meetings, documenting proceedings, and submitting the strategic plan and reports to the Governor, the Joint Commission on Health Care, and the chairs of relevant House and Senate committees, with an initial interim report due by November 1, 2026, and a strategic plan due by November 1, 2027.

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB48