I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5996 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, to carry 
out a 5-year demonstration program to fund mental health first aid 
training programs at 10 institutions of higher education to improve 
student mental health. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 21, 2012 
Mr. ALTMIRE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse 
and Mental Health Services Administration, in coordina-
tion with the Secretary of Education, to carry out a 
5-year demonstration program to fund mental health 
first aid training programs at 10 institutions of higher 
education to improve student mental health. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mental Health First 
Aid Higher Education Act of 2012’’. 
SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH 
FIRST AID TRAINING AT INSTITUTIONS OF 
HIGHER EDUCATION. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ 
means an institution of higher education (as defined 
in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(2) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services, acting through the 
Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration, in coordination with 
the Secretary of Education. 
(b) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The 
Secretary may carry out a demonstration program con-
sisting of awarding grants to 10 institutions of higher edu-
cation for implementation of a mental health first aid 
training program described in subsection (d) to improve 
student mental health. 
(c) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM DURATION.—The 
demonstration program under this section is authorized 
to be carried out for a total period of not more than 5 
years. 
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(d) MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING PRO-
GRAM DESCRIBED.—A mental health first aid training 
program described in this subsection— 
(1) shall be designed to train individuals in the 
categories listed in subsection (e) to accomplish the 
objectives described in subsection (f); 
(2) shall ensure that training is conducted by 
trainers that are properly licensed and credentialed 
by nonprofit entities as designated by the Secretary; 
and 
(3) shall include— 
(A) at a minimum— 
(i) a core course of up to 12 hours in 
length for individuals in the categories list-
ed in subsection (e) on the skills, re-
sources, and knowledge to assist individ-
uals in crisis to connect with appropriate 
local mental health care services; 
(ii) training on available off-campus 
mental health resources in the State and 
local community; and 
(iii) training on action plans and pro-
tocols for referral to such resources; and 
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(B) where feasible, continuing education 
and updated training for individuals in the cat-
egories listed in subsection (e). 
(e) 
CATEGORIES
OF
INDIVIDUALS
TO
BE 
TRAINED.—The categories of individuals listed in this 
subsection are, with respect to individuals at an institution 
of higher education, the following: 
(1) On-campus counseling center personnel. 
(2) Dormitory resident advisers. 
(3) Members of threat assessment and discipli-
nary committees. 
(4) Faculty members. 
(5) Coaches and other athletic department em-
ployees. 
(6) Members of threat assessment teams. 
(7) Other administrators and personnel of the 
institution of higher education, as determined appro-
priate by the Secretary. 
(f) OBJECTIVES OF TRAINING.—A mental health first 
aid training program funded under this section shall be 
designed to train individuals in the categories listed in 
subsection (e) to accomplish each of the following objec-
tives: 
(1) Safe de-escalation of crisis situations. 
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(2) Recognition by individuals in the categories 
listed in subsection (e) of the signs and symptoms 
of mental illness, including mental illnesses typically 
encountered on campus such as schizophrenia, bipo-
lar disorder, major clinical depression, and anxiety 
disorders. 
(3) Timely referral to mental health services in 
the early stages of developing mental disorders in 
order to— 
(A) avoid more costly subsequent behav-
ioral health care; and 
(B) assist the student to maintain enroll-
ment. 
(g) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.—In awarding grants 
under subsection (b), the Secretary shall ensure that the 
grant recipients are located in geographically disparate 
cities and States across the United States. 
Æ 
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