North Carolina HB 766: Expand Access to Teen Mental Health First Aid.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 766

Short Title: Expand Access to Teen Mental Health First Aid. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Lofton, Lambeth, White, and Cunningham (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 7, 2025
*H766-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 2
SERVICES, DIVISION OF CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING, TO EXPAND 3
ACCESS TO TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING. 4
Whereas, ten percent (10%) of North Carolina's high school students reported having 5
attempted suicide in the last year and twenty-two percent (22%) of these same students reported 6
having seriously contemplated suicide; and 7
Whereas, 1 in 5 teens in the United States will likely experience a mental health 8
challenge by the age of eighteen and sixty-four percent (64%) of these teens are unlikely to seek 9
professional help; and 10
Whereas, teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) is an evidence-based course 11
developed to teach teens who are in grades nine through twelve, or ages fourteen through 12
eighteen, how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use 13
challenges among their friends and peers; and 14
Whereas, the tMHFA curriculum covers common signs and symptoms of mental 15
health and substance use challenges in this age group and how to connect teens with trusted and 16
responsible adults for support and assistance during a mental health or substance use crisis; and 17
Whereas, the University of North Carolina has trained 1,519 teens in ten counties in 18
the tMHFA curriculum and established a cohort of 68 tMHFA instructors; and 19
Whereas, completion of the tMHFA course has shown a fifty percent (50%) increase 20
in the willingness of teens to tell someone and seek help from an adult or health care professional 21
about mental health and substance use challenges; Now, therefore, 22
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 23
SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 24
Health and Human Services, Division of Child and Family Well-Being, the sum of one million 25
eight hundred seventy-three thousand eight hundred sixty-three dollars ($1,873,863) in 26
nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to expand access to Teen Mental Health First 27
Aid training in North Carolina. 28
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 29