83R7468 EES-D
By: Schwertner, et al. S.B. No. 955
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the training of employees of local mental health
authorities and certain educators in mental health first aid and
the establishment of the mental health first aid fund.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended
by adding Subchapter H to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER H. MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING
Sec. 1001.201. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Educator" means a person who is required to hold a
certificate issued under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code.
(2) "Local mental health authority" has the meaning
assigned by Section 531.002.
Sec. 1001.202. GRANTS FOR TRAINING OF MENTAL HEALTH FIRST
AID TRAINERS. (a) To the extent funds are appropriated to the
department for that purpose, the department shall make grants of
not more than $30,000 to local mental health authorities to
contract with persons approved by the department to train employees
of the authorities as mental health first aid trainers.
(b) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to
establish the requirements for a person to be approved by the
department to contract with a local mental health authority to
train employees of the authority as mental health first aid
trainers. The rules must ensure that a person who contracts with an
authority is qualified to provide training in:
(1) the potential risk factors and warning signs for
various mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, trauma,
psychosis, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, and
self-injury;
(2) the prevalence of various mental illnesses in the
United States and the need to reduce the stigma associated with
mental illness;
(3) an action plan for use by the employees that
involves the use of skills, resources, and knowledge to assess a
situation and develop and implement an appropriate intervention to
help an individual experiencing a mental health crisis obtain
appropriate professional care; and
(4) the evidence-based professional, peer, social,
and self-help resources available to help individuals with mental
illness.
Sec. 1001.203. GRANTS FOR TRAINING CERTAIN EDUCATORS IN
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID. (a) To the extent funds are appropriated
to the department for that purpose, the department shall make
grants to local mental health authorities to provide a 12-hour
mental health first aid training program at no cost to educators.
The amount of a grant made by the department to a local mental
health authority under this section may not exceed five percent of
the amount appropriated to the department to make those grants for
the year in which the grant is made.
(b) A mental health first aid program provided by a local
mental health authority under this section must:
(1) be conducted by an employee of the authority
trained as a mental health first aid trainer;
(2) provide educators with the skills necessary to
help an individual experiencing a mental health crisis until the
individual is able to obtain appropriate professional care; and
(3) include:
(A) instruction in a five step strategy for
helping an individual experiencing a mental health crisis,
including assessing risk, listening respectfully to and supporting
the individual, and identifying professional help and other
supports for the individual;
(B) an introduction to the risk factors and
warning signs for mental illness and substance abuse problems;
(C) experiential activities to increase
educators' understanding of the impact of mental illness on
individuals and families; and
(D) a presentation of evidence-supported
treatment and self-help strategies.
Sec. 1001.204. REPORTS. (a) Not later than February 1 of
each year, a local mental health authority shall provide to the
department a list of employees of the authority who were trained as
mental health first aid trainers under Section 1001.202 and a list
of educators who completed any mental health first aid training
program offered by the authority under Section 1001.203 during the
preceding calendar year.
(b) Not later than March 1 of each year, the department
shall compile the lists submitted by local mental health
authorities as required by Subsection (a) and submit a report to the
legislature containing a list of authority employees trained as
mental health first aid trainers and a list of educators who
completed a mental health first aid training program provided by an
authority during the preceding calendar year.
SECTION 2. Section 21.054, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d) The board shall adopt rules that allow an educator to
fulfill up to twelve hours of continuing education by participating
in a mental health first aid training program offered by a local
mental health authority under Section 1001.203, Health and Safety
Code.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.