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Henrico County Public Schools

The Right to Achieve. The Support to Succeed.

Substance Misuse Prevention and Student Overdose Notification

Substance Misuse Prevention and Student Overdose Notification

During the 2025 session of the Virginia General Assembly, lawmakers passed new requirements for school principals to inform families within 24 hours of a confirmed or suspected school-connected student overdose.

Executive Order-Parental Notification and Student Education to Prevent Student Overdoses 

VA Acts of Assembly-2025 Session- School-Connected Student Overdose Policies-Parental Notification Guidelines

Defining “Overdose”

To ensure a common understanding and consistent practices across the division’s 74 schools, HCPS will use the following definitions:

  • An overdose is a life-threatening condition resulting from the consumption or use of a controlled substance.
  • A school-connected student overdose is any overdose of a student enrolled in a public or private elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth that occurs on the premises of a school during regular school hours or school-sanctioned activities, whether on or off school grounds.
  • A suspected school-connected overdose is a school-connected student overdose that is believed to have occurred and for which the response is the administration of Naloxone, another opioid antagonist, or a similar medication with the intent to counter or temporarily reverse the effects of an overdose.

  • Our priority will be the safety of the student(s) in crisis. All HCPS school nurses and numerous other school staff are trained in recognizing and responding to a possible overdose, including the use of the opioid reversal agent naloxone, often referred to by the brand name Narcan. Emergency responders and the student’s family will be contacted immediately.

    HCPS School Board Policy P6-09-002-R Regulations Pertaining to First Aid and Medications

    After the student(s) have been cared for and the immediate crisis has been resolved, principals will then communicate with the entire school community via ParentSquare. The school principal or their designee will notify the parents/guardians of all students at the school within 24 hours once either of the following occurs:

    • Law enforcement or medical personnel confirm a school-connected student overdose.
    • The school principal becomes aware of a suspected school-connected student overdose.

    The purpose of this notification is to support parents and guardians as they have conversations with their child(ren) about substance use and connect our families with resources.

    As required by law, HCPS will also report the incident to the Virginia Department of Education within 24 hours of sending a schoolwide notification.

     HCPS School Board Policy P6-05-002 Substance Use and Parental Notifications

  • Here is an example of a ParentSquare message you may receive from the school principal.

    “Today, 911 was called for a student at our school who experienced an individual health emergency requiring the school nurse to administer Narcan, a medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The school was briefly placed on restricted movement while emergency responders cared for the student. For privacy reasons, I cannot share additional information about the student’s condition.

    As a partner in your student’s education, I ask that you take time to speak with your student(s) about the dangers of substance misuse and encourage them to make choices to avoid risks associated with substance use. Resources for families are available on the school division website and the school based mental health staff at your child’s school are available to provide support and connections to community resources.”

  • Henrico County Public Schools’ health and physical education curriculum includes age-appropriate lessons about the potential dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and recreational and prescription drugs, including opioids. Drug education is also incorporated into other subject areas such as civics, government, science, and work and family studies classes.

    Schools have multiple evidence-based programs and interventions, ranging from educational assemblies to more specific services based on individual student needs. Every high school has a staff member dedicated to helping families navigate resources and make connections to wraparound services for students struggling with substance use problems. HCPS also has a substance use prevention and intervention coordinator to support elementary and middle school students.

  • Through the Henrico CARES initiative, students, families and employees can access numerous services at no cost. Programs include:

    • Care Solace: A multilingual care team assists families 24 hours a day in connecting with local mental health and substance use treatment providers.
    • Hazel Telehealth: Offers virtual healthcare support for students in grades 9-12, including mental health and substance use assistance. Parent permission is required for students to connect with a Hazel health professional.

    Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services same-day access for substance use services: Provides immediate help for students in need of urgent intervention.

    Chesterfield Recovery Academy: Offers a year-round program for students early in recovery from substance use disorders to support their ongoing recovery while they work toward their high school diploma.

    Additional resources for students and families can be found at Just Think Twice,Partnership to End Addiction, and Talk. They Hear You.