S. 711 · 114th Congress
Mental Health First Act of 2015
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 114th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
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AyotteSponsor18 cosponsors · 12 D, 6 R
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Bennet
RB
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Blumenthal
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Coons
CG
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Grassley
DH
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Heller
HH
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Heitkamp
RP
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Portman
JR
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Reed
MR
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Rubio
JS
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Shaheen
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Murphy
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Stabenow
JT
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Tester
SC
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Collins
DS
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Sullivan
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Peters
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Schumer
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Gillibrand10 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to award grants to initiate and sustain mental health first aid training programs.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · Mar 11, 2015
Mental Health First Act of 2015
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to award grants to initiate and sustain mental health first aid training programs. Requires such a program to include training on: (1) the skills, resources, and knowledge necessary to assist individuals in crisis to connect with appropriate local mental health care services; (2) mental health resources, including the location of community mental health centers; and (3) protocols for referral to mental health resources.
Sets forth the categories of individuals to be trained under the program, including first responders, law enforcement personnel, teachers and school administrators, human resources professionals, nurses and other primary care personnel, students enrolled in school, parents of students, and veterans and veteran stakeholders.
Requires such programs to train individuals to accomplish safe de-escalation of crisis situations, recognition of the signs and symptoms of mental illness, and timely referral to mental health services in the early stages of developing mental disorders.
Requires SAMHSA to ensure that grants are equitably distributed geographically, and to pay particular attention to the mental health training needs of rural areas.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Mental Health First Act of 2015
Latest action (Mar 11, 2015): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Policy area: Health · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Mar 11, 2015
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.