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HB 997

Mental Health First Aid Training; require for instructional and administrative personnel employed by public school districts.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Sam Creekmore

Require all Mississippi public school staff to complete Mental Health First Aid training to recognize and respond to student mental health crises.

Died In Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 997

Legislative bill overview

HB 997 would have required all instructional and administrative personnel employed by Mississippi public school districts to complete Mental Health First Aid training. The bill aimed to equip school staff with skills to recognize and respond to mental health crises among students and colleagues.

Why is this important

Mental health crises among school-age children have increased significantly in recent years, and school staff are often first responders to these situations. Training educators to recognize warning signs and provide initial support could potentially improve student outcomes and create safer school environments, though implementation costs and time requirements would fall on districts.

Potential points of contention

  • Fiscal impact: Mandating training for all instructional and administrative staff would require districts to absorb costs for training programs, materials, and employee time—a significant burden for already-stretched school budgets
  • Scope and feasibility: Requiring 100% compliance across entire districts is administratively complex; questions arise about enforcement, recertification schedules, and whether one-time training is sufficient
  • Role boundaries: Some may argue mental health intervention is primarily a clinical responsibility, not an educator's role, raising concerns about liability and whether training adequately prepares non-mental-health professionals for crisis situations

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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