Purpose

This bill adds comprehensive training requirements for staff who provide substance use disorder treatment and mental health services. It aims to strengthen how staff protect client rights, handle confidential information, respond to emergencies, recognize and address cooccurring mental health and substance use issues, and support people with disabilities through trauma‑informed, accessible care.

Main Provisions

• Staff development and ongoing requirements (245G.13 Subd. 2)

  • Every staff member must receive training on:
  • client confidentiality rules and regulations and client ethical boundaries
  • emergency procedures and client rights
  • mandatory reporting for staff with direct contact, including license holder policies on releasing client information
  • Mandatory reporters (as defined by law) must be trained on maltreatment reporting requirements
  • HIV minimum standards must be covered for staff with direct contact
  • New mandatory reporters must be trained before direct contact begins
  • New staff with direct contact must complete threshold training within six months; prior related training can be credited if documented
  • Staff with direct contact must also be trained annually on maltreatment reporting requirements and related definitions
  • Training on accessibility, communications access, and sensory safety for individuals with disabilities in substance use disorder treatment programs is required, with disability definitions including traumatic brain injuries, developmental disabilities, cognitive disabilities, and physical disabilities
  • A staff person such as a treatment director, supervisor, nurse, or counselor must have at least 12 hours of training in cooccurring disorders, covering philosophy, trauma‑informed care, screening, assessment, diagnosis, person‑centered treatment planning, documentation, programming, medication collaboration, mental health collaboration, and discharge planning
  • New staff must complete the cooccurring disorders training within six months if not already completed

• Initial training requirements (245I.05 Subd. 3)

  • Within 72 hours of first providing direct contact services to a client, staff must receive initial training on:
  • vulnerable adult maltreatment and minor reporting requirements
  • client rights and protections and the Minnesota Health Records Act (including privacy and family engagement)
  • emergency procedures (fire, weather, missing person, medical/behavioral emergencies)
  • license holder program policies and job functions
  • professional boundaries and accessibility, communications access, and sensory safety for individuals with disabilities
  • needs of each client (developmental status, cognitive functioning, and physical/mental abilities)
  • Mental health staff (e.g., mental health professionals and supports) must receive 30 hours of training on:
  • mental illnesses
  • client recovery and resiliency
  • deescalation techniques
  • cooccurring mental illness and substance use disorders
  • psychotropic medications and their side effects (including tardive dyskinesia)
  • Within 90 days of first direct contact with an adult client, relevant staff (e.g., behavioral health practitioner, mental health certified peer specialist, or mental health worker) must be trained in:
  • trauma‑informed care and secondary trauma
  • person‑centered individual treatment plans with family and natural supports
  • cooccurring substance use disorders
  • culturally responsive treatment practices
  • Within 90 days of first direct contact with a child client, applicable staff must receive child‑specific training addressing:
  • trauma‑informed care and secondary trauma (including ACEs)
  • family‑centered treatment plan development with the child’s family and supports
  • mental illness and cooccurring substance use disorders in family systems
  • culturally responsive treatment practices
  • child development and the child’s cognitive/physical/mental abilities
  • For a mental health behavioral aide, the training must include parent team training using a commissioner‑approved curriculum

• Ongoing training (245I.05 Subd. 4)

  • License holders must ensure staff who provide direct contact services receive annual training on topics listed in Subd. 3 (initial training topics)
  • Staff who are qualified but not mental health professionals must receive 30 hours of training every two years
  • The ongoing topics must include accessibility, communications access, and sensory safety for individuals with disabilities receiving mental health treatment services

Notable Changes to Law

• Introduces systematic, time‑bound training for a wide range of staff roles, including required hours (e.g., 12 hours for cooccurring disorders; 30 hours for some mental health staff; 30 hours every two years for non‑MH professionals) and specific deadlines (72 hours for initial contact, 90 days for many topics, six months for certain trainings).
• Expands and clarifies training on disability accessibility and sensory safety for clients with disabilities (including TBI, developmental, cognitive, and physical disabilities).
• Elevates emphasis on trauma‑informed care and secondary trauma, ACEs, and culturally responsive practices, especially for work with children and families.
• Tightens initial training requirements to cover foundational protections (vulnerable adult maltreatment, minor maltreatment, client rights, health records act, professional boundaries) before or soon after direct client contact.
• Strengthens requirements for mandatory reporters and mandatory reporting training across staff with direct contact.

Implementation Scope

• Applies to license holders operating substance use disorder treatment and mental health services in Minnesota.
• Covers staff across roles from treatment directors and supervisors to nurses, counselors, behavioral health practitioners, and paraprofessionals who interact directly with clients.
• Requires documentation of training and potential credit for prior relevant training.

Relevant Terms - client confidentiality, client ethical boundaries - emergency procedures; client rights - mandatory reporting; maltreatment reporting (minor and vulnerable adult) - Minnesota Health Records Act; client privacy; family engagement - HIV minimum standards - direct contact services - cooccurring disorders; cooccurring mental illness and substance use disorders - trauma‑informed care; secondary trauma - accessibility; communications access; sensory safety - disabilities (traumatic brain injuries, developmental disabilities, cognitive disabilities, physical disabilities) - ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) - person‑centered treatment plans; family‑centered treatment plans - culturally responsive treatment practices - professional boundaries - 72 hours; 90 days; six months; 12 hours; 30 hours; 30 hours every two years - parent team training; curriculum approved by commissioner