By: RodrÃguez, Zaffirini S.B. No. 1533
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to mental health first aid training for university
employees.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1001.201, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Subdivision (6) to read as follows:
(6) "University employee" means a person employed by a
public or private institution of higher education who regularly
interacts with students enrolled at the university through the
course of the person's duties.
SECTION 2. The heading to Section 1001.203, Health and
Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 1001.203. GRANTS FOR TRAINING CERTAIN UNIVERSITY
EMPLOYEES, SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
[EDUCATORS] IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.
SECTION 3. Sections 1001.203(a), (c), and (e), Health and
Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:
(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 an approved mental health first aid
training program, administered by mental health first aid trainers,
at no cost to university employees, school district employees, and
school resource officers.
(c) The department shall grant $100 to a local mental health
authority for each university employee, school district employee,
or school resource officer who successfully completes a mental
health first aid training program provided by the authority under
this section.
(e) A local mental health authority may contract with a
regional education service center to provide a mental health first
aid training program to university employees, school district
employees, and school resource officers [educators] under this
section.
SECTION 4. The heading to Section 1001.2031, Health and
Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 1001.2031. SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS FOR TRAINING CERTAIN
UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES, SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, AND SCHOOL
RESOURCE OFFICERS [EDUCATORS] IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.
SECTION 5. Section 1001.205, Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 1001.205. REPORTS. (a) Not later than September 30
of each year, a local mental health authority shall provide to the
department the number of:
(1) employees and contractors of the authority who
were trained as mental health first aid trainers under Section
1001.202 during the preceding fiscal year;
(2) university employees [educators], school district
employees [other than educators], and school resource officers who
completed a mental health first aid training program offered by the
authority under Section 1001.203 during the preceding fiscal year;
and
(3) individuals who are not university employees,
school district employees, or school resource officers who
completed a mental health first aid training program offered by the
authority during the preceding fiscal year.
(b) Not later than December 1 of each year, the department
shall compile the information submitted by local mental health
authorities as required by Subsection (a) and submit a report to the
legislature containing the number of:
(1) authority employees and contractors trained as
mental health first aid trainers during the preceding fiscal year;
(2) university employees [educators], school district
employees [other than educators], and school resource officers who
completed a mental health first aid training program provided by an
authority during the preceding fiscal year; and
(3) individuals who are not university employees,
school district employees, or school resource officers who
completed a mental health first aid training program provided by an
authority during the preceding fiscal year.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.