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

HB 997 requires all instructional staff (both licensed and non-licensed) and licensed administrators in Mississippi public schools to complete evidence-based mental health first aid training approved by the state Department of Mental Health before the 2025-2026 school year begins. School boards must develop policies for how often this training is repeated and provide certificates of completion that staff can use across districts. The bill directly affects over 100,000 school employees statewide and aims to improve school staff's ability to support students' mental health needs. The bill was referred to the Education Committee but died there on February 4, 2025, and did not become law.