Two bills currently under consideration in the Virginia legislature would require resident advisors to make mental health determinations on students who display behavior indicating self harm.
Tim Davis, director of the University’s Counseling and Psychological Services department, said Senate Bill 1122 would mandate parents be informed any time a student exhibits suicidal tendencies, though counseling centers would be exempt from needing to relay concerns.
“This bill is out of committee and will be voted on by the full Senate at any time,” Davis said. “Fortunately, Sen. Barker said he does not plan to call [the] bill to the floor for up to another three weeks.”
Davis said House Bill 1715 would institute a legal requirement for resident advisors to alert campus threat assessment teams when a student displays suicidal tendencies. This bill was passed by the House yesterday by a vote of 98-0.
Davis said University counseling centers would not be exempt from HB 1715. CAPS, then, would also have to report concerning behavior to threat assessment teams.
“The legislation being considered lowers the threshold for when universities would be legally mandated to inform parents,” Davis said.
Second Year Council President Abraham Axler, a College student, said he had significant concerns with the proposed legislation. He said one of his primary concerns is that the legislation would dissuade students from reaching out for help.
“Many students and professionals agree that this bill would increase the rate of college suicide,” Axler said. “As we’ve seen on our Grounds this year, suicide is something that affects everyone, and efforts to stop suicide should be taken.”
Axler said there needs to be a conversation concerning suicide prevention, but the conversation cannot only be held by legislators.
“The University would have to formulate policy in which they are asking students who are ill-equipped to make these decisions…they would have to make a decision on what someone else is thinking,” Axler said. “Can a day of training for RAs prepare them to do what mental health professionals still struggle to do?”
The Student Council will discuss a resolution in opposition to the bill this week. As part of the measure, the organization will also aim to continue investigating ways to promote student use of University mental health services.
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