Virginia Law

A. The Department of Criminal Justice Services shall establish the Substantial Risk Order Training Program (the Program) for the purposes of training personnel of law-enforcement agencies and other public institutions throughout the Commonwealth on the proper use and implementation of the substantial risk order law pursuant to Chapter 9.2 (§ 19.2-152.13 et seq.) of Title 19.2. The Program shall provide training regarding proper procedures to follow, the circumstances under which the substantial risk order law can be used, the benefits to public safety from proper use of the law, and the harm that may ensue from the law not being used when lawfully available. Additionally, the Program shall be used to train other important parties on the proper use of the law, including mental health professionals, emergency health care providers, public elementary and secondary school personnel, and threat assessment teams at public institutions of higher education. The Program shall also include efforts to educate the public on the substantial risk order law and increase awareness via (i) outreach to community members and organizations, (ii) development and distribution of Program literature, and (iii) publication of best practices for the use of the law.

B. The Department shall report by November 1 each year to the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security regarding the use of Program funds, details of the content of programming developed, and the effectiveness of the Program in assisting law-enforcement agencies and other public institutions in the use of the substantial risk order law.

2026, c. 696.