Education – Coaches – Mental Health Training

This Maryland law mandates that public school and college coaches receive training to identify signs of mental illness and behavioral distress in student athletes. The State Department of Education and the Maryland Department of Health will create specific guidelines covering issues such as depression, trauma, violence, youth suicide, and substance abuse. Once these guidelines are established, every public school and higher education institution offering an athletic program must provide the required training to its coaches. The law applies to both intramural and interscholastic programs in public schools as well as intercollegiate programs at public universities.