This document addresses professional development incorporating recognition of symptoms of mental health issues.

This document addresses professional development incorporating recognition of symptoms of mental health issues.

This document addresses professional development incorporating recognition of symptoms of mental health issues.

This document addresses professional development incorporating recognition of symptoms of mental health issues.

(c-1) Any minimum academic qualifications for a certificate specified under Subsection (a) that require a person to possess a bachelor’s degree must also require that the person receive, as part of the training required to obtain that certificate, instruction regarding mental health, substance abuse, and youth suicide. The instruction required must: (1) be provided through: (A) a program selected from the list of recommended best practice-based programs and research-based practices established under Section 38.351; or (B) a course offered by any accredited public or private postsecondary educational institution as part of a degree program; and (2) include effective strategies, including de-escalation techniques and positive behavioral interventions and supports, for teaching and intervening with students with mental health conditions or who engage in substance abuse.

(g) The board shall adopt rules that allow an educator to fulfill continuing education requirements by participating in an evidence-based mental health first aid training program or an evidence-based grief-informed and trauma-informed care program. The rules adopted under this subsection must allow an educator to complete a program described by this subsection and receive credit toward continuing education requirements for twice the number of hours of instruction provided under that program, not to exceed 16 hours. The program must be offered through a classroom instruction format that requires in-person attendance.

(d) The staff development: (3) must include training on: (D) how grief and trauma affect student learning and behavior and how evidence-based, grief-informed, and trauma-informed strategies support the academic success of students affected by grief and trauma.

(f) A school district shall include in its multihazard emergency operations plan: (6) provisions for supporting the psychological safety of students, district personnel, and the community during the response and recovery phase following a disaster or emergency situation that: (A) are aligned with best practice-based programs and research-based practices recommended under Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code; (B) include strategies for ensuring any required professional development training for suicide prevention and grief-informed and trauma-informed care is provided to appropriate school personnel; (C) include training on integrating psychological safety and suicide prevention strategies into the district’s plan, such as psychological first aid for schools training, from an approved list of recommended training established by the commissioner and Texas School Safety Center for: (i) members of the district’s school safety and security committee under Section 37.109; (ii) district school counselors and mental health professionals; and (iii) educators and other district personnel as determined by the district; (D) include strategies and procedures for integrating and supporting physical and psychological safety that align with the provisions described by Subdivision (2); and (E) implement trauma-informed policies.

The Collaborative Task Force on Public School Mental Health Services is established to study and evaluate: (1) mental health services that are funded by this state and provided at a school district or open-enrollment charter school directly to: (A) a student enrolled in the district or school; (B) a parent or family member of or person standing in parental relation to a student enrolled in the district or school; or (C) an employee of the district or school; (2) training provided to an educator employed by the district or school to provide the mental health services described by Subdivision (1

The task force shall: (1) gather data on: (A) the number of students enrolled in each school district and open-enrollment charter school; (B) the number of individuals to whom each school district or open-enrollment charter school provides the mental health services described by Section 38.302(1); (C) the number of individuals for whom each school district or open-enrollment charter school has the resources to provide the mental health services described by Section 38.302(1); (D) the number of individuals described by Paragraph (B) who are referred to an inpatient or outpatient mental health provider; (E) the number of individuals who are transported from each school district or open-enrollment charter school for an emergency detention under Chapter 573, Health and Safety Code; and (F) the race, ethnicity, gender, special education status, educationally disadvantaged status, and geographic location of: (i) individuals who are provided the mental health services described by Section 38.302(1); (ii) individuals who are described by Paragraph (D); and (iii) individuals who are described by Paragraph (E); and (2) study, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding the mental health services described by Section 38.302(1), the training described by Section 38.302(2), and the impact of those mental health services, as described by Section 38.302(3), including addressing: (A) the outcomes and the effectiveness of the services and training provided, including the outcomes and effectiveness of the service and training providers and the programs under which services and training are provided, in: (i) improving student academic achievement and attendance; (ii) reducing student disciplinary proceedings, suspensions, placements in a disciplinary alternative education program, and expulsions; and (iii) delivering prevention and intervention services to promote early mental health skills, including: (a) building skills relating to managing emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and making responsible decisions; (b) preventing substance abuse; (c) preventing suicides; (d) adhering to the purpose of the relevant program services or training; (e) promoting trauma-informed practices; (f) promoting a positive school climate, as defined by Section 161.325(a-3), Health and Safety Code, in the district or school; and (g) improving physical and emotional safety and well-being in the district or school and reducing violence in the district or school; (B) best practices for districts and schools in implementing the services or training; (C) disparities in the race, ethnicity, gender, special education status, and geographic location of individuals receiving the services; and (D) best practices to replicate the services or training for all districts and schools.

(a-3) For purposes of Subsection (a-1), “school climate” means the quality and character of school life, including interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures, as experienced by students enrolled in the school district, parents of those students, and personnel employed by the district.

(b) The suicide prevention programs on the list must include components that provide for training counselors, teachers, nurses, administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement officers and social workers who regularly interact with students, to:

• (1) recognize students at risk of committing suicide, including students who are or may be the victims of or who engage in bullying;

• (2) recognize students displaying early warning signs and a possible need for early mental health or substance abuse intervention, which warning signs may include declining academic performance, depression, anxiety, isolation, unexplained changes in sleep or eating habits, and destructive behavior toward self and others; and

• (3) intervene effectively with students described by Subdivision (1) or (2) by providing notice and referral to a parent or guardian so appropriate action, such as seeking mental health or substance abuse services, may be taken by a parent or guardian.

(a)  To the extent funds are appropriated to the department for that purpose, the department shall make grants to local mental health authorities to provide an approved mental health first aid training program, administered by mental health first aid trainers, at no cost to university employees, school district employees, and school resource officers.

(b)  [Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., ch. 836 (S.B. 133), § 8(2), effective June 17, 2015.] (c)  The department shall grant $100 to a local mental health authority for each university employee, school district employee, or school resource officer who successfully completes a mental health first aid training program provided by the authority under this section.

(d)  A mental health first aid training program provided by a local mental health authority under this section must:

• (1)  be conducted by a person trained as a mental health first aid 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. (e)  A local mental health authority may contract with a regional education service center to provide a mental health first aid training program to university employees, school district employees, and school resource officers under this section.

(f)  Two or more local mental health authorities may collaborate and share resources to develop and operate a mental health first aid training program under this section.

(a) The commission shall make available on its official Internet website information about the mental health first aid training program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of the program. An electronic link to an outside source of information is not sufficient. (b) The Texas Education Agency shall make available on its official Internet website information about the mental health first aid training program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of the program. An electronic link to an outside source of information is not sufficient.