88R8073 MM-D
By: Manuel H.B. No. 5096
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to mental health first aid training for certain school
district employees and volunteers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 22, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 22.904 to read as follows:
Sec. 22.904. MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING. A school
district shall require each district employee or volunteer who
regularly interacts with students enrolled at the district,
including an educator, school bus driver, custodian, or cafeteria
worker, to complete an evidence-based mental health first aid
training program designed to provide instruction to participants
regarding the recognition and support of children and youth who
experience a mental health or substance use issue.
SECTION 2. Section 1001.201, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by amending Subdivision (4) and adding Subdivision (4-a) to
read as follows:
(4) "School district employee" means a person employed
by a school district who regularly interacts with students through
the course of the person's duties, including an educator, a
secretary, a school bus driver, a custodian, or a cafeteria worker.
(4-a) "School district volunteer" means a person who
volunteers at a school district and regularly interacts with
students at the district while performing duties as a volunteer.
SECTION 3. 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, SCHOOL DISTRICT VOLUNTEERS,
AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.
SECTION 4. 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,
school district volunteers, and school resource officers.
(c) The department shall grant $100 to a local mental health
authority for each university employee, school district employee,
school district volunteer, 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, school district volunteers, and school resource
officers under this section.
SECTION 5. 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, SCHOOL DISTRICT
VOLUNTEERS, AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST
AID.
SECTION 6. Sections 1001.205(a) and (b), Health and Safety
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(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, the number of trainers
who left the program for any reason during the preceding fiscal
year, and the number of active trainers;
(2) university employees, school district employees,
school district volunteers, 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
categorized by local mental health authority region, university or
school district, as applicable, and category of personnel;
(3) individuals who are not university employees,
school district employees, school district volunteers, or school
resource officers who completed a mental health first aid training
program offered by the authority during the preceding fiscal year;
and
(4) veterans and immediate family members of veterans
who completed the veterans module of 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:
(1) the number of authority employees and contractors
trained as mental health first aid trainers during the preceding
fiscal year, the number of trainers who left the program for any
reason during the preceding fiscal year, and the number of active
trainers;
(2) the number of university employees, school
district employees, school district volunteers, and school
resource officers who completed a mental health first aid training
program provided by an authority during the preceding fiscal year
categorized by local mental health authority region, university or
school district, as applicable, and category of personnel;
(3) the number of individuals who are not university
employees, school district employees, school district volunteers,
or school resource officers who completed a mental health first aid
training program provided by an authority during the preceding
fiscal year;
(4) veterans and immediate family members of veterans
who completed the veterans module of a mental health first aid
training program provided by an authority during the preceding
fiscal year; and
(5) a detailed accounting of expenditures of money
appropriated for the purpose of implementing this subchapter.
SECTION 7. Not later than September 1, 2024, each school
district shall ensure that each district employee or volunteer
described by Section 22.904, Education Code, as added by this Act,
has completed an evidence-based mental health first aid training
program as required by that section.
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.