98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB1538

 

Introduced , by Rep. Esther Golar

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Illinois Mental Health First Aid Training Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall establish and administer the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training program so that certified trainers can provide Illinois residents, professionals, and members of the public with training on how to identify and assist someone who is believed to be developing or has developed a mental health disorder or an alcohol or substance abuse disorder or who is believed to be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. Provides that subject to appropriations made to, or with the use of appropriations directed by, the Department of Human Services and other State agencies, the Department and other State agencies shall support training grants for Illinois Mental Health First Aid training. Provides that these training grants may support hardship subsidies for Illinois Mental Health First Aid training fees. Provides that the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training program shall be designed to train individuals to accomplish certain objectives including (i) building mental health, alcohol abuse, and substance abuse literacy designed to help the public identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illness, alcohol abuse, and substance abuse and (ii) knowing how to prevent a mental health disorder or an alcohol or substance abuse disorder from deteriorating into a more serious condition which may lead to more costly interventions and treatments. Contains provisions concerning the distribution of training grants and other matters. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning health.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Illinois Mental Health First Aid Training Act.
 
6    Section 5. Purpose. Through the use of innovative
7strategies, Mental Health First Aid training shall be
8implemented throughout the State. Mental Health First Aid
9training is designed to train individuals to assist someone who
10is developing a mental health disorder or an alcohol or
11substance abuse disorder, or who is experiencing a mental
12health or substance abuse crisis and it can be reasonably
13assumed that a mental health disorder or an alcohol or
14substance abuse disorder is a contributing or precipitating
15factor.
 
16    Section 10. Definitions.
17    "Illinois Mental Health First Aid training program" means
18the Mental Health First Aid training program established by the
19Department of Human Services.
20    "Certified trainers" means individuals who obtain
21certification in Mental Health First Aid training by
22successfully completing (i) the Instructor Training Program

 

 

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1offered by the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training
2program or (ii) the Instructor Training Program offered by the
3National Authorities of Mental Health First Aid USA.
 
4    Section 15. Illinois Mental Health First Aid training
5program. The Department of Human Services shall establish and
6administer the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training
7program so that certified trainers can provide Illinois
8residents, professionals, and members of the public with
9training on how to identify and assist someone who is believed
10to be developing or has developed a mental health disorder or
11an alcohol or substance abuse disorder or who is believed to be
12experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis.
 
13    Section 20. Mental health first aid training grants.
14Subject to appropriations made to, or with the use of
15appropriations directed by, the Department of Human Services
16and other State agencies, the Department of Human Services and
17other State agencies shall support training grants for Illinois
18Mental Health First Aid training. These training grants may
19support hardship subsidies for Illinois Mental Health First Aid
20training fees.
 
21    Section 25. Objectives of the training program. The
22Illinois Mental Health First Aid training program shall be
23designed to train individuals to accomplish the following

 

 

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1objectives as deemed appropriate for the individuals to be
2trained, taking into consideration the individual's age:
3        (1) Build mental health, alcohol abuse, and substance
4    abuse literacy designed to help the public identify,
5    understand, and respond to the signs of mental illness,
6    alcohol abuse, and substance abuse.
7        (2) Assist someone who is believed to be developing or
8    has developed a mental health disorder or an alcohol or
9    substance abuse disorder or who is believed to be
10    experiencing a mental health disorder or an alcohol or
11    substance abuse crisis. Such assistance shall include the
12    following:
13            (A) Knowing how to recognize the symptoms of a
14        mental health disorder or an alcohol or substance abuse
15        disorder.
16            (B) Knowing how to provide initial help.
17            (C) Knowing how to guide individuals requiring
18        assistance toward appropriate professional help,
19        including help for individuals who may be in crisis.
20            (D) Knowing how to provide comfort to the person
21        experiencing a mental health disorder or an alcohol or
22        substance abuse disorder.
23            (E) Knowing how to prevent a mental health disorder
24        or an alcohol or substance abuse disorder from
25        deteriorating into a more serious condition which may
26        lead to more costly interventions and treatments.

 

 

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1            (F) Knowing how to promote healing, recovery, and
2        good mental health.
 
3    Section 30. Distribution of training grants. When awarding
4training grants under this Act, the Department or other
5appropriate State agency shall distribute training grants
6equitably among the geographical regions of the State paying
7particular attention to the training needs of rural areas and
8areas with underserved populations or professional shortages.
 
9    Section 35. Evaluation. The Department of Human Services,
10as the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training authority,
11shall ensure that evaluative criteria are established which
12measure the distribution of the training grants and the
13fidelity of the training processes to the objective of building
14mental health, alcohol abuse, and substance abuse literacy
15designed to help the public identify, understand, and respond
16to the signs of mental illness, alcohol abuse, and substance
17abuse.
 
18    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
19becoming law.