Gov. Tim Kaine signed a bill Thursday directing public colleges and universities in Virginia to establish procedures for identifying and addressing the needs of students at risk for suicide.
The bill, HB 3064, "requires college trustees to direct development of a plan for how universities will attempt to help students who may have demonstrated self-destructive behavior," Kaine's press secretary Kevin Hall said.
The bill was introduced in mid-January by Del. Albert Eisenberg, D-Arlington, and was co-signed by Del. John Welch, R-Virginia Beach.
The bill instructs school administrations to create policies that do not penalize students for attempting to commit suicide or seeking mental health treatment for suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Under this provision, public colleges and universities are prohibited from expelling students for engaging in these actions.
Del. Robert Tata, R-Virginia Beach, chair of the House Committee on Education, said it is difficult to identify students with suicidal tendencies, but said a system created to help identify and counsel those students could help.
"Kids can get depressed over school work, getting homesick, if they don't adjust, if parents put pressure on them, if they don't make a team, or get accepted into a sorority of fraternity -- there are millions of reasons," Tata said.
Dean of Students Penny Rue said although suicidal thoughts do not always lead to suicide, the University takes such thoughts very seriously.
"Most students who commit suicide are not in any kind of treatment, therefore our primary emphasis should be to identify students with depression and to get them into treatment," Rue said.
Such initiatives already in place at the University include participating in the National Depression Screening Day in the fall and providing resources through Counseling and Psychological Services.
"The primary eyes and ears are our Resident Staff," Rue said.
Although the bill is directed at public institutions of higher education, such as the University, Rue said the bill likely will provide guidance to other universities and colleges across the Commonwealth.
"We [the University] are ahead of the curve," Rue said.
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