Legislative record

SB 259STATE · VirginiaIntroduced

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program; established, development of modules, report.

Voted 7/21/2026View source

Summary

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program established; pilot programs; development of modules; report. Establishes the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program, to be administered by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (the Department) in coordination with the Department of Education and the Department of Health, for the purpose of providing and expanding the accessibility of early childhood mental health consultation services, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill requires, pursuant to the Program, early childhood mental health consultation services shall be provided to families of children three through five years of age who exhibit developmental delays and behavioral health concerns and to early childhood care and education programs as enumerated in the bill. The bill requires the Department, in administering the Program, to (i) develop, or contract with community services boards to develop, and make available to early childhood care and education programs and providers developmental readiness modules, in accordance with the requirements of the bill; (ii) designate three pilot regions for initial implementation of the Program, with implementation beginning no later than January 1, 2027; and (iii) submit to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1 of each year a report on the implementation and outcomes of the Program for each pilot region selected for initial implementation. The provisions of the bill relating to initial implementation of the Program in the pilot regions shall expire on July 1, 2029.

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Bill text

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Roll-call record

How representatives voted

0 yea·0 nay

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Docket history

Action history

  1. 7/21/2026Continued from last session
  2. 2/10/2026Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 1-N)
  3. 1/29/2026Reported from Education and Health with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
  4. 1/29/2026Senate committee offered
  5. 1/29/2026Senate subcommittee offered
  6. 1/28/2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB259)
  7. 1/22/2026Assigned Education sub: Public Education
  8. 1/12/2026Referred to Committee on Education and Health
  9. 1/12/2026Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102173D