[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3325 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3325

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
  the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
  Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, to 
 carry out a 5-year demonstration program to fund mental health first 
aid training programs at 10 institutions of higher education to improve 
                         student mental health.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 21, 2012

  Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 
  the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
  Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of Education, to 
 carry out a 5-year demonstration program to fund mental health first 
aid training programs at 10 institutions of higher education to improve 
                         student mental health.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mental Health First Aid Higher 
Education Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING AT 
              INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

    (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) The term ``institution of higher education'' means an 
        institution of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) 
        of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the 
        Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 
        coordination with the Secretary of Education.
    (b) Demonstration Program Authorized.--The Secretary may carry out 
a demonstration program consisting of awarding grants to 10 
institutions of higher education for implementation of a mental health 
first aid training program described in subsection (d) to improve 
student mental health.
    (c) Demonstration Program Duration.--The demonstration program 
under this section is authorized to be carried out for a total period 
of not more than 5 years.
    (d) Mental Health First Aid Training Program Described.--A mental 
health first aid training program described in this subsection--
            (1) shall be designed to train individuals in the 
        categories listed in subsection (e) to accomplish the 
        objectives described in subsection (f);
            (2) shall ensure that training is conducted by trainers 
        that are properly licensed and credentialed by nonprofit 
        entities as designated by the Secretary; and
            (3) shall include--
                    (A) at a minimum--
                            (i) a core course of up to 12 hours in 
                        length for individuals in the categories listed 
                        in subsection (e) on the skills, resources, and 
                        knowledge to assist individuals in crisis to 
                        connect with appropriate local mental health 
                        care services;
                            (ii) training on available off-campus 
                        mental health resources in the State and local 
                        community; and
                            (iii) training on action plans and 
                        protocols for referral to such resources; and
                    (B) where feasible, continuing education and 
                updated training for individuals in the categories 
                listed in subsection (e).
    (e) Categories of Individuals To Be Trained.--The categories of 
individuals listed in this subsection are, with respect to individuals 
at an institution of higher education, the following:
            (1) On-campus counseling center personnel.
            (2) Dormitory resident advisers.
            (3) Members of threat assessment and disciplinary 
        committees.
            (4) Faculty members.
            (5) Coaches and other athletic department employees.
            (6) Members of threat assessment teams.
            (7) Other administrators and personnel of the institution 
        of higher education, as determined appropriate by the 
        Secretary.
    (f) Objectives of Training.--A mental health first aid training 
program funded under this section shall be designed to train 
individuals in the categories listed in subsection (e) to accomplish 
each of the following objectives:
            (1) Safe de-escalation of crisis situations.
            (2) Recognition by individuals in the categories listed in 
        subsection (e) of the signs and symptoms of mental illness, 
        including mental illnesses typically encountered on campus such 
        as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major clinical depression, 
        and anxiety disorders.
            (3) Timely referral to mental health services in the early 
        stages of developing mental disorders in order to--
                    (A) avoid more costly subsequent behavioral health 
                care; and
                    (B) assist the student to maintain enrollment.
    (g) Geographic Diversity.--In awarding grants under subsection (b), 
the Secretary shall ensure that the grant recipients are located in 
geographically disparate cities and States across the United States.
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