(a) The local mental health authorities (LMHAs) and local behavioral health authorities (LBHAs) are responsible for ensuring their contractors provide mental health first aid (MHFA) training to educators and non-educators consistent with the MHFA protocol, as required by Texas Health and Safety Code, §1001.203(d).

(b) An MHFA training must:

(1) be conducted by a person trained as an MHFA trainer;

(2) provide participants with the skills necessary to help an individual experiencing a mental health crisis until the individual is able to obtain appropriate professional care; and

(3) include: (A) instruction in a five-step strategy for helping an individual experiencing a mental health crisis, including assessing risk, listening respectfully to and supporting the individual, and identifying professional help and other supports for the individual; (B) an introduction to the risk factors and warning signs for mental illness and substance abuse problems; (C) experiential activities to increase participants' understanding of the impact of mental illness on individuals and families; and (D) a presentation of evidence-supported treatment and self-help strategies.

(c) An LMHA and LBHA may contract with a regional education service center to provide an MHFA training program to university employees, school district employees, and school resource officers under this section.

(d) Two or more LMHAs or LBHAs may collaborate and share resources to develop and operate an MHFA training program under this section.

(e) The LMHA and LBHA shall ensure that training is taught without modification, substitution or subtraction of the MHFA-USA or MHFA-Australia, as applicable, content or format unless authorized by HHSC-approved training entities set forth in §302.7 of this subchapter (relating to Mental Health First Aid Training Protocols).

(f) LMHAs and LBHAs are responsible for ensuring their contractors comply with the provisions of this subchapter and applicable provisions of the contract between HHSC and the LMHA and LBHA.

(g) The LMHA and LBHA must submit the annual Plan for Mental Health First Aid Training Programs by July 1 of each state fiscal year, as required by Texas Health and Safety Code, §1001.204. The LMHA and LBHA must submit the information for the annual report by September 30 of each year, as required by Texas Health and Safety Code, §1001.205.

Source Note: The provisions of this §302.9 adopted to be effective June 3, 2014, 39 TexReg 4258; transferred effective February 15, 2020, as published in the Texas Register January 17, 2020, 45 TexReg 468; amended to be effective January 10, 2021, 46 TexReg 305