HB 1357 2024
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hb1357-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to mental health education and 2
training; providing a short title; creating s. 3
394.4996, F.S.; requiring persons working in roles 4
involving direct interaction with youth to undergo 5
mental health education and training; providing 6
requirements for such education and training; 7
encouraging persons who work with youth to prioritize 8
their own mental health and well -being and their 9
employers to provide resources and support; requiring 10
the Department of Children and Families to establish 11
and maintain dedicated spaces within certain 12
institutions, centers, and venues that are easily 13
accessible to youth for the dissemination of 14
information and resources relating to mental health; 15
providing that the department, in collaboration with 16
relative agencies, is responsible for implementation 17
and enforcement of the act; providing for penalties; 18
providing for funding; providing an effective date. 19
20
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 21
22
Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Butler Act." 23
Section 2. Section 394.4996, Florida Statutes, is created 24
to read: 25
HB 1357 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
394.4996 Mental health education and training. — 26
(1) All persons work ing in roles involving direct 27
interaction with youth as defined in s. 381.84(1), including, 28
but not limited to, educators, counselors, mentors, and coaches, 29
shall undergo mental health education and training. The 30
education and training shall include: 31
(a) The recognition of signs and symptoms of mental health 32
issues in youth, appropriate methods for providing assistance 33
and support, and guidelines for referring youth to qualified 34
mental health professionals when necessary. 35
(b) Specialized training in eff ectively and respectfully 36
interacting with youth by emphasizing active listening to the 37
voices and perspectives of youth, respecting their rights and 38
dignity, and fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. 39
(2) Persons who work with youth are encou raged to 40
prioritize their own mental health and well -being and employers 41
of persons who work with youth should provide resources and 42
support for their mental health needs. 43
(3) The department shall establish and maintain dedicated 44
spaces within educationa l institutions, community centers, and 45
other youth-centric venues for the dissemination of information 46
and resources related to mental health. The spaces shall be 47
easily accessible to youth and shall be promoted to ensure that 48
youth are aware of the availa ble mental health resources. 49
(4) The department, in collaboration with relevant 50
HB 1357 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
agencies, shall be responsible for the implementation and 51
enforcement of this act. A violation of this section may result 52
in penalties, training requirements, or other approp riate 53
measures as determined by department rule. 54
(5) Funding for the implementation of this section shall 55
be allocated from state funds and supplemented by federal grants 56
and private-sector partnerships, as necessary. 57
Section 3. This act shall take e ffect July 1, 2024. 58