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Public Act 098-0195 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning health.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||
Illinois Mental Health First Aid Training Act. | ||||
Section 5. Purpose.
Through the use of innovative | ||||
strategies, Mental Health First Aid training shall be | ||||
implemented throughout the State. Mental Health First Aid | ||||
training is designed to train individuals to assist someone who | ||||
is developing a mental health disorder or an alcohol or | ||||
substance abuse disorder, or who is experiencing a mental | ||||
health or substance abuse crisis and it can be reasonably | ||||
assumed that a mental health disorder or an alcohol or | ||||
substance abuse disorder is a contributing or precipitating | ||||
factor.
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Section 10. Definitions.
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"Illinois Mental Health First Aid training program" means | ||||
the Mental Health First Aid training program administered by | ||||
the Department of Human Services. | ||||
"Certified trainers" means individuals who obtain | ||||
certification in Mental Health First Aid training by | ||||
successfully completing (i) the Instructor Training Program |
offered by the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training | ||
program or (ii) the Instructor Training Program offered by the | ||
National Authorities of Mental Health First Aid.
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Section 15. Illinois Mental Health First Aid training | ||
program.
The Department of Human Services shall 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. | ||
Section 20. Mental health first aid training grants.
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Subject to appropriations made to the Department of Human | ||
Services and other State agencies, the Department of Human | ||
Services and other State agencies shall support training grants | ||
for Illinois Mental Health First Aid training. These training | ||
grants may support hardship subsidies for Illinois Mental | ||
Health First Aid training fees.
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Section 25. Objectives of the training program. The | ||
Illinois Mental Health First Aid training program shall be | ||
designed to train individuals to accomplish the following | ||
objectives as deemed appropriate for the individuals to be |
trained, taking into consideration the individual's age: | ||
(1) Build 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. | ||
(2) 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 disorder or an alcohol or | ||
substance abuse crisis. Such assistance shall include the | ||
following: | ||
(A) Knowing how to recognize the symptoms of a | ||
mental health disorder or an alcohol or substance abuse | ||
disorder. | ||
(B) Knowing how to provide initial help. | ||
(C) Knowing how to guide individuals requiring | ||
assistance toward appropriate professional help, | ||
including help for individuals who may be in crisis. | ||
(D) Knowing how to provide comfort to the person | ||
experiencing a mental health disorder or an alcohol or | ||
substance abuse disorder. | ||
(E) 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. | ||
(F) Knowing how to promote healing, recovery, and |
good mental health. | ||
Section 30. Distribution of training grants.
When awarding | ||
training grants under this Act, the Department or other | ||
appropriate State agency shall distribute training grants | ||
equitably among the geographical regions of the State paying | ||
particular attention to the training needs of rural areas and | ||
areas with underserved populations or professional shortages. | ||
Section 35. Evaluation. The Department of Human Services, | ||
as the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training authority, | ||
shall ensure that evaluative criteria are established which | ||
measure the distribution of the training grants and the | ||
fidelity of the training processes to the objective of 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. | ||
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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