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