II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 153 

To amend section 520J of the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants 

for mental health first aid training programs. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 24 (legislative day, JANUARY 3), 2013 

Mr. BEGICH (for himself, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. AYOTTE, Mr. BENNET, Mr. 

RUBIO, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. REED, Mr. BLUNT, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. 

TESTER, and Mr. COONS) introduced the following bill; which was read 

twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions 

A BILL 

To amend section 520J of the Public Health Service Act 

to authorize grants for mental health first aid training 

programs. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mental Health First 

5 Aid Act of 2013’’. 

6 SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING GRANTS. 

7 Section 520J of the Public Health Service Act (42 

8 U.S.C. 290bb–41) is amended to read as follows: 

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1 ‘‘SEC. 520J. MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING GRANTS. 

2 ‘‘(a) GRANTS.—The Secretary, acting through the 

3 Administrator, shall award grants to States, political sub4 divisions of States, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and 

5 nonprofit private entities to initiate and sustain mental 

6 health first aid training programs. 

7 ‘‘(b) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.— 

8 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible for funding 

9 under subsection (a), a mental health first aid train10 ing program shall— 

11 ‘‘(A) be designed to train individuals in the 

12 categories listed in paragraph (2) to accomplish 

13 the objectives described in paragraph (3); 

14 ‘‘(B) ensure that training is conducted by 

15 trainers that are properly licensed and 

16 credentialed by nonprofit entities as designated 

17 by the Secretary; and 

18 ‘‘(C) include— 

19 ‘‘(i) at a minimum— 

20 ‘‘(I) a core live training course 

21 for individuals in the categories listed 

22 in paragraph (2) on the skills, re23 sources, and knowledge to assist indi24 viduals in crisis to connect with ap25 propriate local mental health care 

26 services; 

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1 ‘‘(II) training on mental health 

2 resources, including the location of 

3 community mental health centers de4 scribed in section 1913(c), in the 

5 State and local community; and 

6 ‘‘(III) training on action plans 

7 and protocols for referral to such re8 sources; and 

9 ‘‘(ii) where feasible, continuing edu10 cation and updated training for individuals 

11 in the categories determined under para12 graph (2). 

13 ‘‘(2) CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS TO BE

14 TRAINED.—The categories of individuals to be 

15 trained shall be determined by the Secretary. 

16 ‘‘(3) OBJECTIVES OF TRAINING.—To be eligible 

17 for funding under subsection (a), a mental health 

18 first aid training program shall be designed to train 

19 individuals in the categories listed in paragraph (2) 

20 to accomplish each of the following objectives (as ap21 propriate for the individuals to be trained, taking 

22 into consideration their age): 

23 ‘‘(A) Safe de-escalation of crisis situations. 

24 ‘‘(B) Recognition of the signs and symp25 toms of mental illness, including such common 

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1 psychiatric conditions as schizophrenia, bipolar 

2 disorder, major clinical depression, and anxiety 

3 disorders. 

4 ‘‘(C) Timely referral to mental health serv5 ices in the early stages of developing mental 

6 disorders in order to— 

7 ‘‘(i) avoid more costly subsequent be8 havioral health care; and 

9 ‘‘(ii) enhance the effectiveness of men10 tal health services. 

11 ‘‘(c) DISTRIBUTION OF AWARDS.—In awarding 

12 grants under this section, the Secretary shall— 

13 ‘‘(1) ensure that grants are equitably distrib14 uted among the geographical regions of the United 

15 States; and 

16 ‘‘(2) pay particular attention to the mental 

17 health training needs of populations and target audi18 ences residing in rural areas. 

19 ‘‘(d) APPLICATION.—A State, political subdivision of 

20 a State, Indian tribe, tribal organization, or nonprofit pri21 vate entity that desires a grant under this section shall 

22 submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 

23 such manner, and containing such information as the Sec24 retary may require, including a plan for the rigorous evalmstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

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1 uation of activities that are carried out with funds received 

2 under such grant. 

3 ‘‘(e) EVALUATION.—A State, political subdivision of 

4 a State, Indian tribe, tribal organization, or nonprofit pri5 vate entity that receives a grant under this section shall 

6 prepare and submit an evaluation to the Secretary at such 

7 time, in such manner, and containing such information as 

8 the Secretary may reasonably require, including an evalua9 tion of activities carried out with funds received under 

10 such grant and a process and outcome evaluation. 

11 ‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To 

12 carry out this section, there are authorized to be appro13 priated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and such sums 

14 as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2015 and 

15 2016.’’. 

Æ 

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