The West Virginia public school system is on the frontline of the opioid epidemic, with teachers and school personnel often serving as the first responders to meet students’ basic neurological, biological, psychological, and social emotional needs. Supporting these students is a priority of the school system and is necessary to ensure that West Virginia’s children continue to grow and thrive. The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is committed to supporting and collaborating with local education agencies, communities, and families to address the social-emotional, physical, behavioral, and mental health needs of all students.
The West Virginia Behavior/Mental Health Technical Assistance (TA) Center is an extension of WVDE and provides training and technical assistance to public schools in meeting the growing behavioral and socio-emotional and mental health needs of students. The TA Center was created as a response to local outcry for support with issues related to student behavior/mental health needs as well as the need to improve the continuity of existing interventions in West Virginia’s public schools. The interventions supported by the TA Center are based upon national models and research related to multi-tiered systems of support and interconnected systems framework. The TA Center collects data related to the number and types of training and technical assistance provided to local education agencies.
Additionally, WV Board of Education Policy (WVBE) 2520.5 - WV College and Career-Readiness Standards for Wellness Education, promotes wellness concepts that build a foundation for health literacy and an appreciation for lifelong physical fitness. In accordance with W. Va. Code §18-2-9, in the subject of health education in grades six through twelve as considered appropriate by the county board shall include at least sixty minutes of instruction for each student on the dangers of opioid use, the addictive characteristics of opioids, and safer alternatives to treat pain.
At the school level, there is the ability to collect data related to discipline issues due to the violation of W. Va. Code §60A-1-101 and WVBE Policy 4373.
“A student will not unlawfully possess, use, be under the influence of, distribute, or sell any substance containing alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, any other substance included in the Uniform Controlled Substances Act as described in W. Va. Code §60A-1-101, et seq., or any paraphernalia intended for the manufacture, sale, and/or use of illegal substances in any building/area under the control of a county school system, including all activities or events sponsored by the county school district. This includes violations of W. Va. 126CSR25A, WVBE Policy 2422.7, Standards for Basic and Specialized Health Care Procedures, and instances of prescription drug abuse. The principal shall suspend a student from school or from transportation for possession of a controlled substance governed by the Uniform Controlled Substance Act.”
To learn more about the use of data collection and how the West Virginia public school system is working jointly with partners to meet the needs of students, please visit the following websites:
West Virginia Department of Education (wvde.us)
Behavior and Mental Health TAC (marshall.edu)