HI SCR68

Department of Health is requested to promote mental health first aid training throughout Hawaii within two years.

Mental health first aid is an eight-hour training program that teaches participants to recognize mental health concerns, understand warning signs, and apply a five-step action plan to help individuals in crisis connect with professional care.

Training should be offered to health workers, employers, faith leaders, college staff, law enforcement, veterans, individuals with mental illness or addiction, and other community members.

Department of Health should consider developing youth-specific mental health first aid training and prioritizing training availability on all islands and rural communities due to behavioral health provider shortages.

Director of Health must submit a report to the Legislature by twenty days prior to the 2017 Regular Session on the impact of mental health first aid training initiatives.