2023 Texas Statutes › Health and Safety Code › Title 12 - Health and Mental Health › Chapter 1001 - Department of State Health Services › Subchapter H. Mental Health First Aid Training › Section 1001.203. Grants for Training Certain Individuals in Mental Health First Aid

Sec. 1001.203.  GRANTS FOR TRAINING CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID.  (a)  To the extent money is appropriated for the purpose, the commission shall make grants to local mental health authorities or local behavioral health authorities to provide at no cost an approved mental health first aid training program administered by mental health first aid trainers to the following individuals at the discretion of the authorities:
(1)  school district employees and school resource officers;
(2)  employees of:
(A)  an institution of higher education;
(B)  an open-enrollment charter school; or
(C)  a private school;
(3)  employees and contractors of a child-care facility;
(4)  youth;
(5)  individuals with direct and recurring contact with students;
(6)  first responders;
(7)   military service members, veterans, or immediate family members of military service members or veterans;
(8)  judges and attorneys, as applicable based on the practice of law of the judge or attorney; or
(9)  contractors of an institution of higher education, an open-enrollment charter school, a private school, or a school district.
(c)  The commission shall grant to a local mental health authority or local behavioral health authority the amount the commission determines necessary to cover the costs  of training each individual described by Subsection (a) who successfully completes a mental health first aid training program provided by the authority under this section.
(d)  A mental health first aid training program provided by a local mental health authority or local behavioral health authority under this section must:
(1)  be conducted by a person trained as a mental health first aid trainer;
(2)  provide participants with the skills necessary to help an individual experiencing a mental health crisis until the individual is able to obtain appropriate professional care; and
(3)  include:
(A)  instruction in a five-step strategy for helping an individual experiencing a mental health crisis, including assessing risk, listening respectfully to and supporting the individual, and identifying professional help and other supports for the individual;
(B)  an introduction to the risk factors and warning signs for mental illness and substance use problems;
(C)  experiential activities to increase participants' understanding of the impact of mental illness on individuals and families; and
(D)  a presentation of evidence-supported treatment and self-help strategies.
(e)  A local mental health authority or local behavioral health authority may contract with a regional education service center to provide under this section a mental health first aid training program to school district employees and contractors, school resource officers, open-enrollment charter school employees and contractors, private school employees and contractors, and employees and contractors of an institution of higher education.
(f)  Two or more local mental health authorities or local behavioral health authorities may collaborate and share resources to develop and operate a mental health first aid training program under this section.
Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1306 (H.B. 3793), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2013.
Amended by:
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 836 (S.B. 133), Sec. 4, eff. June 17, 2015.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 836 (S.B. 133), Sec. 8(2), eff. June 17, 2015.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 45 (S.B. 1533), Sec. 3, eff. May 19, 2017.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 324 (H.B. 2059), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2023.