Virginia Law

A. As used in this section, "certified violence prevention professional" means an individual who provides evidence-informed, trauma-informed, supportive and non-psychotherapeutic community violence prevention services, within or outside of a clinical setting, for the purpose of (i) promoting improved health outcomes and positive behavioral change, (ii) preventing injury recidivism, and (iii) reducing the likelihood that victims of acts of community violence will commit or promote violence themselves and who has met the requirements of subsection B.

B. No person shall use or assume the title "certified violence prevention professional" unless he is a violence prevention professional who (i) has received training and education as a violence prevention professional from an entity approved by a body approved by the Board and (ii) is certified as a certified violence prevention professional by a body approved by the Board.

C. No entity shall hold itself out as providing training and education for certified violence prevention professionals required by subsection B unless its curriculum and training program have been approved by a body approved by the Board.

D. The Board shall adopt regulations setting forth (i) requirements for use of the title "certified violence prevention professional," (ii) requirements for education and training programs necessary to meet the requirements for certification as a certified violence prevention professional, (iii) qualifications for training entities, (iv) limitations on the number of training entities approved by a body approved by the Board, and (v) other regulations as deemed necessary by the Board to carry out the provisions of this section.

2026, c. 872.