House Bill 1760 (2025) directed the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to develop recommendations to strengthen early identification and support for the social-emotional and mental health needs of young children. The effort focused on improving screening and assessment practices, expanding consultation and training resources for providers and families, and identifying strategies to build a coordinated statewide system of care.

Virginia has several well-established programs that address these goals, including the Early Intervention (Part C) system, the Virginia Mental Health Access Program (VMAP), and the Infant and Toddler Specialist Network (ITSN). In addition, validated screening and assessment tools are already in use and compiled in the Social-Emotional Screening and Assessment Toolkit developed by DBHDS’ Infant and Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITCVA). Rather than creating new instruments, the priority identified was to ensure consistency in when and how these tools are applied and how results inform next steps for children and families.

A central finding was the need for better coordination across early childhood, education, health, and behavioral health systems. Technology solutions that allow for shared data, unified referral tracking, and improved family navigation were seen as essential to reducing duplication and delays in care.

The workgroup also identified workforce shortages as a significant barrier to access. Many communities lack trained providers with the expertise to address the social-emotional needs of infants and young children. Low reimbursement rates, limited cross-sector training opportunities, and high caseloads all contribute to this gap. Participants emphasized the need for sustainable funding to expand training, consultation, and professional development, along with a centralized resource to connect families and providers with timely support.

The recommendations that follow build on Virginia’s existing strengths and focus on greater system alignment, workforce development, and centralized coordination. Together, these strategies will help ensure that every child in Virginia has access to early, effective, and equitable mental health support during the most critical years of development.