[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4412 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4412
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants
to States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian
organizations to provide safety measures to social workers, health
workers, and human services professionals performing services placing
such individuals in high-risk and potentially dangerous situations, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 15, 2022
Ms. Sinema (for herself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants
to States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian
organizations to provide safety measures to social workers, health
workers, and human services professionals performing services placing
such individuals in high-risk and potentially dangerous situations, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Social Workers and Health
Professionals from Workplace Violence Act''.
SEC. 2. WORKPLACE SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Grants Authorized.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to
States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian
organizations to provide safety measures to social workers,
health workers, and human services professionals (as designated
by the Secretary), performing services placing such individuals
in high-risk and potentially dangerous situations.
(2) Consultation.--In awarding grants under this
subsection, the Secretary may consult with the Secretary of
Labor and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies.
(b) Use of Funds.--A grant awarded under subsection (a) may be used
to provide or support the following safety measures:
(1)(A) The procurement and installation of safety
equipment, including communications or recording systems, such
as cell phones, wearable tracking devices with GPS/Bluetooth
locator, or panic buttons, such as the equipment used for
supervised foster care visits and other client visits, to
assist entities employing social workers, health workers, and
human services professionals described in subsection (a) in
ensuring staff safety.
(B) Technical assistance and training for safety
communications.
(2) Training sessions and exercises for self-defense and
crisis management, provided together with such organizations as
local law enforcement.
(3) Facility safety improvements, such as barrier
protection and security cameras.
(4) Training in cultural competency, including linguistic
training, and training on strategies for de-escalating conflict
situations.
(5) Training to help social workers, health workers, and
human services professionals work with clients who--
(A) have serious mental and substance use
disorders; or
(B) have behavioral problems and need help coping.
(6) Resources and materials to inform and educate staff on
safety and awareness measures.
(7) Support services, counseling, and additional resources
for social workers, health workers, and human services
professionals, who have experienced safety issues or trauma-
related incidents in the workplace.
(8) Installation of a local data incident tracking system
to monitor, prevent, and mitigate violence against social
workers, health workers, and human services professionals.
(9) Other prevention and mitigation measures determined
appropriate by the Secretary for safety training, resources,
and support for social workers, health workers, and human
services professionals.
(c) Application.--
(1) In general.--A State, Indian Tribe, Tribal
organization, or urban Indian organization seeking a grant
under subsection (a) shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
additional information as the Secretary may require.
(2) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall--
(A) describe the type of entities that will receive
funding through the grant and type of work to be done
by such entities;
(B) describe the specific activities for which the
grant is sought and include a program budget; and
(C) contain an assurance that the applicant will
evaluate the effectiveness of the safety measures
provided through the grant.
(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall give priority to applicants that--
(1)(A) demonstrate the greatest need based on documented
incidents of violence against social workers, health workers,
and human services professionals; and
(B) seek to provide assistance to multiple entities
employing social workers, health workers, and human services
professionals performing services placing such individuals in
high-risk and potentially dangerous situations; or
(2) seek to enhance existing efforts by the applicant
(existing on the date on which the applicant submits the
application) to improve the safety of social workers, health
workers, and human services professionals.
(e) Quality Assurance and Cost Effectiveness.--The Secretary shall
establish guidelines for ensuring the quality and cost effectiveness of
the safety measures funded under this section.
(f) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical
assistance to recipients of a grant under this section with respect to
planning, developing, implementing, reporting, and sustaining safety
measures through the grant.
(g) Report Requirement.--Each State, Indian Tribe, Tribal
organization, or urban Indian organization receiving a grant under this
section shall submit to the Secretary, not later than 2 years after
receiving such grant, a report that includes--
(1) an assessment of the effectiveness of the activities
funded in whole or in part with funds awarded through the
grant;
(2) the range and scope of training opportunities provided
through training programs funded in whole or in part with such
funds, including the numbers and percentages of social workers,
health workers, and human services professionals, engaged in
such training programs; and
(3) the incidence of threats to social workers, health
workers, and human services professionals, if any, and the
strategies used to address their safety.
(h) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``health worker'' includes--
(A) a Community Health Representative that has
completed training under the Community Health
Representative Program of the Indian Health Service
under section 107 of the Indian Health Care Improvement
Act (25 U.S.C. 1616);
(B) a health aide or community health practitioner
certified under the Community Health Aide Program of
the Indian Health Service under section 119 of that Act
(25 U.S.C. 1616l); and
(C) other behavioral health aides and mental health
aides.
(2) The terms ``Indian Tribe'' and ``Tribal organization''
have the meanings given such terms in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5304).
(3) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health
and Human Services.
(4) The term ``social work'' means--
(A) the applied science of helping individuals,
groups, or communities to enhance or restore capacity
for social and psychosocial functioning, and effecting
societal changes favorable to such enhancement or
restoration for all people; and
(B) the professional application of social work
values, principles, and techniques related to the
activities described in subparagraph (A), including--
(i) diagnosing mental and emotional
disorders and providing counseling and
psychotherapy services to individuals,
families, or groups for such disorders; and
(ii) helping individuals, families, or
groups to obtain tangible services, including
personal, protective, informational, advisory,
community, housing, education, health, and
mental health services in order to improve the
overall well-being of individuals.
(5) The term ``social worker'' means an individual, with a
baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degree in social work from
an institution of higher education, who uses knowledge and
skills to provide social work services for individuals,
families, groups, communities, organizations, or society in
general.
(6) The term ``urban Indian organization'' has the meaning
given such term in section 4 of the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2023 through 2027.
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