[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 666 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 666
To increase access to mental health, substance use, and counseling
services for first responders, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 20, 2025
Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself and Mr. Hawley) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To increase access to mental health, substance use, and counseling
services for first responders, 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 ``First Responders Wellness Act''.
SEC. 2. 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 the First Responders Wellness Act, the Secretary, acting
through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use,
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 and 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;
``(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 National Domestic Violence
Hotline, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and the
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 under subsection (a);
``(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
under subsection (a); 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 the First Responders Wellness Act, the
Secretary shall develop, in coordination with mental health
providers and first responder associations or personnel,
trauma-informed and culturally competent training, guidance,
and standards for 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network
center personnel on 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) an evaluation of staffing levels necessary to
maintain adequate services;
``(3) a directory of entities or organizations to which
staff maintaining the hotline funded under this section may
make referrals; and
``(4) 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' means an individual--
``(A) with familiarity with, and understanding of,
the duties and unique stressors of first responders,
which may include experience working as a first
responder; and
``(B) who completed a trauma-informed and
culturally competent training curriculum developed
pursuant to subsection (c)(4), or another trauma-
informed and culturally competent training curriculum,
as the Secretary determines appropriate.
``(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 or behavioral 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.''.
SEC. 3. CRISIS COUNSELING ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING.
Section 416(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5183(a)) is amended by inserting
``and to qualified emergency response providers responding to major
disasters'' after ``victims of major disasters''.
SEC. 4. REPORT ON ON-SITE SERVICES DURING A NATIONAL DISASTER.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through
the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall
issue a report on best practices and recommendations to establish a new
mobile health care delivery site to provide integrated, short-term
crisis services to qualified emergency response providers of a major
disaster. Such services shall--
(1) be culturally and linguistically appropriate;
(2) be trauma-informed; and
(3) incorporate disaster behavioral interventions.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Major disaster.--The term ``major disaster'' has the
meaning given such term in section 102 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5122).
(2) Major disaster area.--The term ``major disaster area''
has the meaning given such term in section 625.2 of title 20,
Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).
(3) Qualified emergency response providers.--The term
``qualified emergency response providers'' means--
(A) emergency response providers (as defined in
section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6
U.S.C. 101)); and
(B) public safety telecommunicators.
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