---
kind: "section"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 1665d"
title: "25"
title_heading: "Indians"
number: "1665d"
heading: "Mental health technician program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/1665d"
units:
  - "Chapter 18 — Indian Health Care"
  - "Subchapter V–A — Behavioral Health Programs"
  - "Part A — General Programs"
---

# §1665d. Mental health technician program

- (a) **In general—** Pursuant to [section 13 of this title](/usc/25/13.md), the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) shall establish and maintain a mental health technician program within the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) which—
  - (1) provides for the training of [Indians](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) 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](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18).
- (b) **Paraprofessional training—** In carrying out [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17), acting through the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18), shall provide high-standard paraprofessional training in mental health care necessary to provide quality care to the [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) communities to be served. Such training shall be based upon a curriculum developed or approved by the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) 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](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17), acting through the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18), shall supervise and evaluate the mental health technicians in the training program.
- (d) **Traditional health care practices—** The [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17), acting through the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18), 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](/usc/25/1603.md?p=14) to be served.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–437, title VII, § 705, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10221(a), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 935.)

## Notes

### 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.