[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4892 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4892

  To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
    establish a grant program for first responder mental health and 
                   wellness, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 2024

 Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself and Mr. Hawley) introduced the following 
    bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
    establish a grant program for first responder mental health and 
                   wellness, 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 ``The First Responders Wellness Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 1701 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(q) Mental Health Demonstration Program.--
            ``(1) Demonstration program.--Upon an approved application 
        by the Attorney General under paragraph (3), an eligible entity 
        may use amounts from a grant under subsection (a) to carry out 
        a mental health service professional demonstration program to--
                    ``(A) provide culturally competent, confidential, 
                and independent mental health services to law 
                enforcement officers; and
                    ``(B) increase the number of culturally competent 
                mental health services providers available to law 
                enforcement officers.
            ``(2) Consultation.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
        Attorney General shall consult with the Secretary of Education 
        and the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
            ``(3) Applications.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An eligible entity seeking to 
                use amounts from a grant to carry out a demonstration 
                program described in this subsection shall submit to 
                the Attorney General an application at such time and in 
                such manner as the Attorney General may reasonably 
                require.
                    ``(B) Priority.--In reviewing applications received 
                from eligible entities under this paragraph, the 
                Attorney General shall give priority to--
                            ``(i) eligible entities planning a 
                        partnership with an institution of higher 
                        education for the purposes of placing graduate 
                        students with law enforcement officers to 
                        complete required field work, credit hours, 
                        internships, or related training as applicable 
                        for the degree, license, or credential program 
                        of each graduate student;
                            ``(ii) eligible entities that are located 
                        in rural areas; and
                            ``(iii) eligible entities that demonstrate 
                        programmatic infrastructure to ensure that the 
                        demonstration program carried out by the 
                        eligible entity under this subsection will 
                        provide mental health services independent of 
                        the leadership or management of law enforcement 
                        agencies.
            ``(4) Confidentiality requirements.--Any mental health 
        services provider providing services to a law enforcement 
        officer under the demonstration program described in this 
        subsection--
                    ``(A) shall adhere to strict confidentiality 
                responsibilities; and
                    ``(B) may not share with the leadership or 
                management of a law enforcement agency any identifiable 
                information of a law enforcement officer resulting from 
                the provision of mental health programs, counseling, or 
                services.
            ``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General 
        $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2031 to carry 
        out this subsection.
            ``(6) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Consortium.--The term `consortium' means a 
                partnership that--
                            ``(i) includes not less than 1 Federal, 
                        State, or local law enforcement agency; and
                            ``(ii) may include--
                                    ``(I) a unit of local government;
                                    ``(II) an institution of higher 
                                education;
                                    ``(III) a first responder union;
                                    ``(IV) a benevolent association; 
                                and
                                    ``(V) a law enforcement 
                                professional association.
                    ``(B) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' 
                means a State, unit of local government, Indian tribal 
                government, law enforcement agency, or multi-
                jurisdictional or regional consortium that receives a 
                grant under subsection (a).
                    ``(C) Institution of higher education.--The term 
                `institution of higher education' has the meaning given 
                the term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
                    ``(D) Law enforcement officer.--The term `law 
                enforcement officer'--
                            ``(i) has the meaning given the term in 
                        section 1204; and
                            ``(ii) includes--
                                    ``(I) a public safety 
                                telecommunicator, including 911 
                                operators and fire dispatchers; and
                                    ``(II) a retired law enforcement 
                                officer.
                    ``(E) Mental health services provider.--The term 
                `mental health service provider'--
                            ``(i) includes a State-licensed or State-
                        certified counselor, trauma counselor, 
                        psychologist, or other State-licensed or 
                        certified mental health professional who is 
                        qualified under State law to provide mental 
                        health services; and
                            ``(ii) may include an individual who is--
                                    ``(I) enrolled in a graduate 
                                program; and
                                    ``(II) under the supervision of an 
                                individual described in clause (i).''.

SEC. 3. FIRST RESPONDERS MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE.

    Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 399V-8. FIRST RESPONDERS MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant 
Secretary for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, 
shall maintain, directly or by contract or grant, a national first 
responders emergency hotline to provide peer and emotional support, 
information, brief intervention, and mental or behavioral health and 
substance use disorder resources and referrals to first responders and 
to their families or household members.
    ``(b) Requirements for Hotline.--The hotline established under 
subsection (a) shall--
            ``(1) operate as a separate, widely recognizable number 
        with bidirectional transfer options with the 988 Suicide and 
        Crisis Lifeline established pursuant to section 520E-3 of this 
        Act;
            ``(2) provide toll-free, real-time, live assistance 24/7;
            ``(3) provide voice and text support;
            ``(4) be sufficiently staffed by, at a minimum, culturally 
        competent first responder peer specialists or first responder 
        mental health services providers who have distinct knowledge 
        of, and are trained on--
                    ``(A) the essential functions of first responders 
                and public safety organizations;
                    ``(B) the working conditions unique to first 
                responders;
                    ``(C) common and novel stressors inherent in public 
                safety and emergency response work;
                    ``(D) normal and abnormal adaptation to 
                occupational stress and trauma; and
                    ``(E) the unique aspects of confidentiality and 
                testimonial privilege; and
            ``(5) provide peer support, mental and behavioral health 
        and substance use disorder assistance, and referral services to 
        meet the needs of first responders and family members or 
        household members at risk of experiencing mental or behavioral 
        health or substance use disorders.
    ``(c) Additional Requirements.--
            ``(1) In general.--In maintaining the hotline under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) consult with the Domestic Violence Hotline, 
                National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and Veterans 
                Crisis Line to ensure that first responders are 
                connected in real-time to the appropriate specialized 
                hotline service, when applicable;
                    ``(B) conduct a public awareness campaign for the 
                hotline;
                    ``(C) consult with Federal departments and 
                agencies, including the Substance Abuse and Mental 
                Health Services Administration and the Department of 
                Justice, to increase awareness regarding the hotline; 
                and
                    ``(D) consult with organizations that operate 
                existing crisis or peer support hotlines for first 
                responders with respect to best practices for operating 
                such hotlines.
            ``(2) Existing hotlines.--The Secretary or an entity 
        receiving a grant or contract under subsection (a), as 
        applicable, shall form partnerships between the existing 
        national first responders mental health hotline and other first 
        responder helplines and websites.
            ``(3) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure that calls 
        from public safety personnel received through the 988 Suicide 
        and Crisis Lifeline are appropriately referred to the hotline 
        under subsection (a).
            ``(4) Training curriculum.--Not later than 2 years after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop, 
        in coordination with mental health providers and first 
        responder associations or personnel, trauma-informed, 
        culturally competent training for 988 Suicide and Crisis 
        Lifeline network centers for the purposes of informing all 988 
        Suicide and Crisis Lifeline personnel about the unique 
        concerns, resources, linkages, and stressors of first 
        responders.
    ``(d) Annual Report.--The Secretary shall submit an annual report 
to Congress on the hotline under subsection (a) and implementation of 
this section, including--
            ``(1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of activities 
        conducted or supported under subsection (a);
            ``(2) a directory of entities or organizations to which 
        staff maintaining the hotline funded under this section may 
        make referrals; and
            ``(3) such additional information as the Secretary 
        determines appropriate.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Culturally competent first responder peer 
        specialist.--The term `culturally competent first responder 
        peer specialist' may include an individual with familiarity 
        with, and understanding of, the duties and unique stressors of 
        first responders, which may include experience working as a 
        first responder.
            ``(2) First responder.--The term `first responder'--
                    ``(A) means--
                            ``(i) a law enforcement officer, 
                        firefighter, or member of a rescue squad or 
                        ambulance crew (as such terms are defined in 
                        section 1204 of title I of the Omnibus Crime 
                        Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968); or
                            ``(ii) a public safety telecommunicator, 
                        including 9-1-1 operators and dispatchers; and
                    ``(B) includes a retired first responder.
            ``(3) First responder mental health services provider.--The 
        term `first responder mental health services provider' includes 
        a State-licensed or State-certified counselor, trauma 
        counselor, psychologist or other State licensed or certified 
        mental health professional who--
                    ``(A) is qualified under State law to provide 
                mental health services; and
                    ``(B) has a familiarity with and understanding of 
                the duties and unique stressors of first responders.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2031.''.
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