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Title 25, IndiansRelease 119-110

§1665d Mental Health Technician Program

Title 25 › CHAPTER 18 — INDIAN HEALTH CARE › SUBCHAPTER V–A — BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS › Part A — General Programs › § 1665d

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must create and run a mental health technician program in the Service that trains Indians to be mental health technicians and hires them to work in their communities. These technicians will help identify and prevent mental health problems, teach people about mental health, make referrals, and provide treatment. Training must be high quality and approved by the Secretary, mixing classroom learning with supervised hands-on experience. The Service will supervise and evaluate the technicians. The program must also use and promote the traditional health practices of the tribes served.

Full Legal Text

Title 25, §1665d

Indians, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general
Pursuant to section 13 of this title, the Secretary shall establish and maintain a mental health technician program within the Service which—
(1)provides for the training of Indians as mental health technicians; and
(2)employs such technicians in the provision of community-based mental health care that includes identification, prevention, education, referral, and treatment services.
(b)Paraprofessional training
In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary, acting through the Service, shall provide high-standard paraprofessional training in mental health care necessary to provide quality care to the Indian communities to be served. Such training shall be based upon a curriculum developed or approved by the Secretary which combines education in the theory of mental health care with supervised practical experience in the provision of such care.
(c)Supervision and evaluation of technicians
The Secretary, acting through the Service, shall supervise and evaluate the mental health technicians in the training program.
(d)Traditional health care practices
The Secretary, acting through the Service, shall ensure that the program established pursuant to this section involves the use and promotion of the traditional health care practices of the Indian tribes to be served.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification section 705 of Pub. L. 94–437 is based on section 181 of title I of S. 1790, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, as reported by the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate in Dec. 2009, which was enacted into law by section 10221(a) of Pub. L. 111–148.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1665d, Pub. L. 94–437, title VII, § 705, as added Pub. L. 102–573, title VII, § 702(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4576, provided for program of training and community education about alcohol and substance abuse, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 111–148.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

25 U.S.C. § 1665d

Title 25, Indians

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110