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| Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives John Conyers, Jr. |
I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 2228, the “Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017.” This bill would provide support for law enforcement agencies to protect the mental health and well-being of law enforcement officers.
At the outset, we must recognize that law enforcement officers have a special role in our communities, with exceptional responsibilities to serve and protect. In the performance of these duties, they see, encounter, and experience events that the rest of us would run from, but they do not.
Law enforcement officers respond to horrendous situations that are both dangerous and stressful, and oftentimes life-threatening, as they find themselves in harm’s way while protecting the communities they serve.
For example, some recent tragedies which law enforcement officers have responded to include in June 2016 when 49 people were killed and 53 others wounded by a gunman at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida; one month later when a gunman killed five officers and wounded another nine officers along with two civilians in Dallas, Texas; and just this month when a gunman in Las Vegas killed 58 innocent citizens and injured nearly 500 others.
And, of course, law enforcement officers must respond to the calls related to violence of many kinds in our communities every day.
In many cases, these traumatic situations remain with officers long after the threats are reduced and the communities they serve have gained a renewed since of safety.
However, members of law enforcement are left to face the continued trauma from their daily work, which can be difficult to process and impossible to forget.
That is why this bill is necessary.
H.R. 2228 seeks to help create and improve mental health and wellness services for law enforcement officers.
The bill provides support for law enforcement agencies by requiring reports on mental health practices and services that can be adopted by law enforcement agencies and establishes peer mentoring mental health and wellness pilot programs within law enforcement agencies.
H.R. 2228 would also provide support for mental health programs by developing educational resources for mental health providers regarding the culture of law enforcement agencies and therapies for mental health issues common to law enforcement.
This measure would also provide support for law enforcement officers by reviewing existing crisis hotlines, recommending improvements regarding these crisis hotlines, and researching the effectiveness of annual mental health checks for law enforcement officers.
With this legislation, we in Congress can help better provide for and protect the mental health, safety, and wellness of all law enforcement officers as they unselfishly protect each of us daily.
For these reasons, I support this bill and ask that my colleagues join me in doing so today.
115th CONGRESS
1st Session |
H. R. 2228
To provide support for law enforcement agency efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 28, 2017
Mrs. Brooks of Indiana (for herself, Mrs. Demings, Mr. Collins of Georgia, Mr. Pascrell, and Mr. Reichert) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To provide support for law enforcement agency efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017”.
(a) Interagency Collaboration.—The Attorney General shall consult with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report, which shall be made publicly available, on Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs mental health practices and services that could be adopted by Federal, State, local, or tribal law enforcement agencies.
(b) Case Studies.—The Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services shall submit to Congress a report—
(1) that is similar to the report entitled “Health, Safety, and Wellness Program Case Studies in Law Enforcement” published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services in 2015; and
(2) that focuses on case studies of programs designed primarily to address officer psychological health and well-being.
(c) Peer Mentoring Pilot Program.—Section 1701(b) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd(b)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (21), by striking “; and” and inserting a semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (22), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(23) to establish peer mentoring mental health and wellness pilot programs within State, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies.”.
The Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall develop resources to educate mental health providers about the culture of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies and evidence-based therapies for mental health issues common to Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement officers.
The Attorney General shall—
(A) identify and review the effectiveness of any existing crisis hotlines for law enforcement officers;
(B) provide recommendations to Congress on whether Federal support for existing crisis hotlines or the creation of an alternative hotline would improve the effectiveness or use of the hotline; and
(C) conduct research into the efficacy of an annual mental health check for law enforcement officers;
(2) in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the head of other Federal agencies that employ law enforcement officers, examine the mental health and wellness needs of Federal law enforcement officers, including the efficacy of expanding peer mentoring programs for law enforcement officers at each Federal agency; and
(3) ensure that any recommendations, resources, or programs provided under this Act protect the privacy of participating law enforcement officers.
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