What This Bill Does
This bill requires the Attorney General to create and propose at least one program that provides mental health treatment to public safety officers and 911 dispatchers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or acute stress disorder. The Attorney General must submit a detailed report to Congress within 150 days describing the proposed program, how to run it, and how much it would cost.
Who It Affects
Public safety officers (police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and Tribal public safety officers)
911 dispatchers and emergency call center workers
The Department of Justice
Congress
State, Tribal, territorial and local agencies that employ public safety officers
Non-governmental and international organizations supporting public safety workers
Key Provisions
The Attorney General must propose at least one program to provide evidence-based trauma-informed care (mental health treatment based on understanding trauma), peer support, counselor services, and family support to public safety officers and 911 dispatchers dealing with job-related PTSD or acute stress disorder. (Sec. 3(b)(1))
The report must include draft grant conditions (rules for receiving federal money) that protect the privacy of public safety officers seeking treatment. (Sec. 3(b)(2))
The Attorney General must explain how to run the program efficiently across the country using both in-person and telehealth (remote video) services. (Sec. 3(b)(3))
The Attorney General must consult with federal, state, local, and tribal agencies that employ public safety officers and with organizations supporting these workers and their families. (Sec. 3(c))
The report must include estimated annual costs needed to run the proposed program. (Sec. 3(b)(5))
What Changes
If this becomes law, the Department of Justice will be required to develop and propose a federal program providing mental health treatment specifically for public safety workers suffering from job-related PTSD and acute stress disorder. Congress will receive a detailed report with program design, confidentiality protections, implementation methods across all states and territories, draft legislation, and cost estimates.
Important Definitions
Public Safety Officer: Defined by existing federal law (the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968), and includes Tribal public safety officers.
Public Safety Telecommunicator: An individual who operates telephone, radio, or other communication systems to receive emergency calls at 911 centers, collects information about crimes, threats, fires, medical emergencies and other public safety matters, and coordinates information with law enforcement and emergency responders.
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 645
AN ACT
To require the Attorney General to propose a program for
making treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and
acute stress disorder available to public safety officers,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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† S 645 ES
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fighting Post-Trau-
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matic Stress Disorder Act of 2023’’.
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
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Congress finds the following:
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(1) Public safety officers serve their commu-
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nities with bravery and distinction in order to keep
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their communities safe.
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(2) Public safety officers, including police offi-
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cers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians,
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and 911 dispatchers, are on the front lines of deal-
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ing with situations that are stressful, graphic,
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harrowing, and life-threatening.
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(3) The work of public safety officers puts them
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at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder
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and acute stress disorder.
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(4) It is estimated that 30 percent of public
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safety officers develop behavioral health conditions
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at some point in their lifetimes, including depression
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and post-traumatic stress disorder, in comparison to
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20 percent of the general population that develops
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such conditions.
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(5) Victims of post-traumatic stress disorder
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and acute stress disorder are at a higher risk of
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dying by suicide.
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† S 645 ES
(6) Firefighters have been reported to have
1
higher suicide attempt and ideation rates than the
2
general population.
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(7) It is estimated that between 125 and 300
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police officers die by suicide every year.
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(8) In 2019, pursuant to section 2(b) of the
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Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act
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of 2017 (Public Law 115–113; 131 Stat. 2276), the
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Director of the Office of Community Oriented Polic-
9
ing Services of the Department of Justice developed
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a report (referred to in this section as the
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‘‘LEMHWA report’’) that expressed that many law
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enforcement agencies do not have the capacity or
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local access to the mental health professionals nec-
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essary for treating their law enforcement officers.
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(9) The LEMHWA report recommended meth-
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ods for establishing remote access or regional mental
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health check programs at the State or Federal level.
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(10) Individual police and fire departments gen-
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erally do not have the resources to employ full-time
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mental health experts who are able to treat public
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safety officers with state-of-the-art techniques for
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the purpose of treating job-related post-traumatic
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stress disorder and acute stress disorder.
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† S 645 ES
SEC. 3. PROGRAMMING FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DIS-
1
ORDER.
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(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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(1) PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER.—The term ‘‘pub-
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lic safety officer’’—
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(A) has the meaning given the term in sec-
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tion 1204 of the Omnibus Crime Control and
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Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10284);
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and
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(B) includes Tribal public safety officers.
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(2) PUBLIC
SAFETY
TELECOMMUNICATOR.—
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The term ‘‘public safety telecommunicator’’ means
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an individual who—
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(A) operates telephone, radio, or other
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communication systems to receive and commu-
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nicate requests for emergency assistance at 911
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public safety answering points and emergency
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operations centers;
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(B) takes information from the public and
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other sources relating to crimes, threats, dis-
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turbances, acts of terrorism, fires, medical
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emergencies, and other public safety matters;
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and
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(C) coordinates and provides information
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to law enforcement and emergency response
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personnel.
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† S 645 ES
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 150 days after the date
1
of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, acting
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through the Director of the Office of Community Oriented
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Policing Services of the Department of Justice, shall sub-
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mit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and
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the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Rep-
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resentatives a report on—
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(1) not fewer than 1 proposed program, if the
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Attorney General determines it appropriate and fea-
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sible to do so, to be administered by the Department
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of Justice for making state-of-the-art treatments or
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preventative care available to public safety officers
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and public safety telecommunicators with regard to
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job-related post-traumatic stress disorder or acute
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stress disorder by providing public safety officers
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and public safety telecommunicators access to evi-
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dence-based trauma-informed care, peer support,
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counselor services, and family supports for the pur-
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pose of treating or preventing post-traumatic stress
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disorder or acute stress disorder;
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(2) a draft of any necessary grant conditions
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required to ensure that confidentiality is afforded to
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public safety officers on account of seeking the care
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or services described in paragraph (1) under the pro-
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posed program;
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† S 645 ES
(3) how each proposed program described in
1
paragraph (1) could be most efficiently administered
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throughout the United States at the State, Tribal,
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territorial, and local levels, taking into account in-
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person and telehealth capabilities;
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(4) a draft of legislative language necessary to
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authorize each proposed program described in para-
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graph (1); and
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(5) an estimate of the amount of annual appro-
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priations necessary for administering each proposed
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program described in paragraph (1).
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(c) DEVELOPMENT.—In developing the report re-
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quired under subsection (b), the Attorney General shall
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consult relevant stakeholders, including—
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(1) Federal, State, Tribal, territorial, and local
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agencies employing public safety officers and public
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safety telecommunicators; and
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(2)
non-governmental
organizations,
inter-
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national organizations, academies, or other entities,
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including organizations that support the interests of
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public
safety
officers
and
public
safety
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† S 645 ES
telecommunicators and the interests of family mem-
1
bers of public safety officers and public safety tele-
2
communicators.
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Passed the Senate March 2, 2023.
Attest:
Secretary.
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 645
AN ACT
To require the Attorney General to propose a pro-
gram for making treatment for post-traumatic
stress disorder and acute stress disorder available
to public safety officers, and for other purposes.