First Responder Behavioral Health Access Act

This bill would let emergency response providers and 911 dispatchers (public safety telecommunicators) qualify for an existing federal grant program for mental and behavioral health education and training. These groups could use that funding to place and recruit clinicians or behavioral health providers within their agencies. The bill would also require the Department of Health and Human Services to run a 3-year pilot grant program to support the behavioral health of first responders, such as by embedding licensed clinicians for confidential counseling or setting up peer-to-peer counseling programs. Priority would go to applicants helping under-resourced responders, and HHS would report results to Congress. It would authorize $10 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2029.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Suhas Subramanyam Democrat sponsor
• 1 cosponsors