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

 

 

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

 

 

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