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.