Bill > HB570

This bill requires governmental bodies in Mississippi that employ or contract with full-time emergency medical personnel and firefighters to provide Mental Health First Aid training to all such personnel by July 1, 2031. Specifically, the bill mandates that emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, emergency medical responders (EMRs), 911 dispatchers, and firefighters who are certified by the State Department of Health or Mississippi Fire Personnel Minimum Standards and Certification Board must receive evidence-based mental health first aid training approved by the Department of Mental Health. The training aims to equip these critical frontline workers with skills to recognize and respond to mental health challenges. The bill will go into effect on July 1, 2025, giving employers approximately six years to implement the required training, which suggests a phased approach to ensure comprehensive training coverage across different governmental bodies and emergency service organizations.

Health and Social Services

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/HB/HB0570.xml