(a) To the extent money is appropriated to the commission for that purpose, the commission shall make grants to local mental health authorities or local behavioral health authorities to contract with persons approved by the commission to train employees or contractors of the authorities as mental health first aid trainers.
(b) The commission shall make each grant to a local mental health authority or local behavioral health authority under this section in the amount the commission determines necessary to cover the costs of training employees or contractors of the authority whose training as mental health first aid trainers will be paid by the grant.

Terms Used In Texas Health and Safety Code 1001.202

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • United States: includes a department, bureau, or other agency of the United States of America. See Texas Government Code 311.005

(d) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to establish the requirements for a person to be approved by the commission to train employees or contractors of a local mental health authority or local behavioral health authority as mental health first aid trainers. The rules must ensure that a person who is approved by the commission is qualified to provide training in:
(1) the potential risk factors and warning signs for various mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and self-injury;
(2) the prevalence of various mental illnesses in the United States and the need to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness;
(3) an action plan for use by the employees or contractors that involves the use of skills, resources, and knowledge to assess a situation and develop and implement an appropriate intervention to help an individual experiencing a mental health crisis obtain appropriate professional care; and
(4) the evidence-based professional, peer, social, and self-help resources available to help individuals with mental illness.
(e) Two or more local mental health authorities or local behavioral health authorities may collaborate and share resources to provide training for employees or contractors of the authorities under this section.