FL S0574

Department of Children and Families shall establish a mental health first aid training program to help the public identify mental illness and substance use disorders and provide skills to assist people experiencing mental health problems

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

Training program must cover mental illness and substance use disorder overview, risk factors and warning signs including depression, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders and self-injury, and an action plan for assessment and intervention

Department must ensure all instructors are certified by a national authority on mental health first aid programs

Department shall submit a report to the Governor and Legislature by December 31, 2016, evaluating program effectiveness and making recommendations for continued implementation; program expires June 30, 2017