2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 4
Expressing support for participation by Virginia in the Southern Regional Education Board's Crisis Recovery Support Network.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 30, 2026
WHEREAS, individuals who have experienced a public emergency, mass casualty event, or natural disaster, such as a catastrophic hurricane, tornado, or flood, may require months or even years of counseling to fully recover from the psychological trauma of the incident; and
WHEREAS, while educational institutions often prioritize crisis prevention and management, many schools, especially schools in underserved rural areas, lack the resources to provide long-term counseling and support after an immediate crisis has been resolved; and
WHEREAS, in addition, local school counselors may themselves be affected by the emotional toll of a crisis situation, making it difficult for them to adequately support their fellow members of a school community in the recovery process; and
WHEREAS, established in 1948, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) coordinates with state agencies, school districts, college campuses, and other stakeholders in 16 states across the southern United States to enhance the delivery of education at every level; and
WHEREAS, SREB recently established the Crisis Recovery Support Network to provide additional counseling resources for school communities that have been affected by a tragedy, offering long-term emotional and mental health services for students, teachers, and staff in the wake of public emergencies and crisis situations; and
WHEREAS, the SREB Crisis Recovery Support Network aims to provide specialized training to counselors across the region, who will be deployed as needed, ensuring that all schools in member states, including schools in underserved rural areas, have access to sustained professional treatment for psychological trauma; and