,i  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #bgd  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of   
,,representatives  ,january #ae1 #bjac  
,mr4 ,barber introduced the following   
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce  ,a 
,,bill  ,to amend section #ebj;,j of the
 ,public ,health ,service ,act to       
authorize grants for mental health first
 aid training programs4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,mental ,health ,first ,act of #bjac4   
#b4 ,mental health first aid training   
grants ,section #ebj;,j of the ,public  
,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4    
#bij;bb-#da7 is amended to read as      
follows3  #ebj;,j4 ,mental health first 
aid training grants  7a7 ,grants ,the   
,secretary1 acting through the          
,administrator1 shall award grants to   
,states1 political subdivisions of      
,states1 ,indian tribes1 tribal         
organizations1 and nonprofit private    
entities to initiate and sustain mental 
health first aid training programs4  7b7

 ,program requirements  7#a7 ,in general
 ,to be eligible for funding under      
subsection 7a71 a mental health first   
aid training program shall--  7,a7 be   
designed to train individuals in the    
categories listed in paragraph 7#b7 to  
accomplish the objectives described in  
paragraph 7#c72  7,b7 ensure that       
training is conducted by trainers that  
are properly licensed and credentialed  
by nonprofit entities as designated by  
the ,secretary2 and  7,c7 include--  7i7
 at a minimum--  7,i7 a core live       
training course for individuals in the  
categories listed in paragraph 7#b7 on  
the skills1 resources1 and knowledge to 
assist individuals in crisis to connect 
with appropriate local mental health    
care services2  7,,ii7 training on      
mental health resources1 including the  
location of community mental health     
centers described in section #aiac7;c71 
in the ,state and local community2 and  
7,,iii7 training on action plans and    
protocols for referral to such          

resources2 and  7ii7 where feasible1    
continuing education and updated        
training for individuals in the         
categories listed in paragraph 7#b74    
7#b7 ,categories of individuals to be   
trained ,the categories of individuals  
listed in this paragraph are the        
following3  7,a7 ,emergency services    
personnel and other first responders4   
7,b7 ,police officers and other law     
enforcement personnel4  7,c7 ,teachers  
and school administrators4  7,d7 ,human 
resources professionals4  7,e7 ,faith   
community leaders4  7,f7 ,nurses and    
other primary care personnel4  7,g7     
,students enrolled in an elementary     
school1 a secondary school1 or an       
institution of higher education4  7,h7  
,the parents of students described in   
subparagraph 7,g74  7,i7 ,veterans4     
7,j7 ,other individuals1 audiences or   
training populations as determined      
appropriate by the ,secretary4  7#c7    
,objectives of training ,to be eligible 
for funding under subsection 7a71 a     

mental health first aid training program
 shall be designed to train individuals 
in the categories listed in paragraph   
7#b7 to accomplish each of the following
 objectives 7as appropriate for the     
individuals to be trained1 taking into  
consideration their age73  7,a7 ,safe   
de-escalation of crisis situations4     
7,b7 ,recognition of the signs and      
symptoms of mental illness1 including   
such common psychiatric conditions as   
schizophrenia1 bipolar disorder1 major  
clinical depression1 and anxiety        
disorders4  7,c7 ,timely referral to    
mental health services in the early     
stages of developing mental disorders in
 order to--  7i7 avoid more costly      
subsequent behavioral health care2 and  
7ii7 enhance the effectiveness of mental
 health services4  7c7 ,distribution of 
,awards ,in awarding grants under this  
section1 the ,secretary shall--  7#a7   
ensure that grants are equitably        
distributed among the geographical      
regions of the ,united ,states2 and     

7#b7 pay particular attention to the    
mental health training needs of         
populations and target audiences        
residing in rural areas4  7d7           
,application ,a ,state1 political       
subdivision of a ,state1 ,indian tribe1 
tribal organization1 or nonprofit       
private entity that desires a grant     
under this section shall submit an      
application to the ,secretary at such   
time1 in such manner1 and containing    
such information as the ,secretary may  
require1 including a plan for the       
rigorous evaluation of activities that  
are carried out with funds received     
under such grant4  7e7 ,evaluation ,a   
,state1 political subdivision of a      
,state1 ,indian tribe1 tribal           
organization1 or nonprofit private      
entity that receives a grant under this 
section shall prepare and submit an     
evaluation to the ,secretary at such    
time1 in such manner1 and containing    
such information as the ,secretary may  
reasonably require1 including an        

evaluation of activities carried out    
with funds received under such grant and
 a process and outcome evaluation4  7f7 
,authorization of ,appropriations ,to   
carry out this section1 there are       
authorized to be appropriated           
#bj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjad and   
such sums as may be necessary for each  
of fiscal years #bjae and #bjaf4  4