FL H7139

Department of Children and Families shall establish a mental health first aid training program to help the public identify signs of mental illness and substance use disorders and develop skills to assist persons experiencing mental health or substance use problems.

Training program shall be provided through contracts with behavioral health managing entities or other community providers, with priority given to training school staff in cooperation with local schools.

Course content must include overview of mental illnesses and substance use disorders, information on risk factors and warning signs (including depression, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders, and self-injury), and an action plan encompassing skills and resources for assessment and intervention.

Instructors must be certified by Mental Health First Aid USA as a national authority.

Department shall submit a report on program effectiveness with recommendations to the Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House by December 31, 2015; the training program section expires June 30, 2016.