Social Worker Safety Act of 2017

Summary: Social Worker Safety Act of 2017 This bill allows the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to states for providing safety measures to social workers and other similar professionals working with violent, illicit drug-using, or other at-risk populations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Social Worker Safety Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. SOCIAL WORKER SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
may award grants to States to provide safety measures to social workers 
and other similar professionals (as designated by the Secretary) 
working with violent, illicit drug-using, or other at-risk populations.
    (b) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded pursuant to subsection (a) may be 
used to provide or support the following safety measures:
            (1)(A) The procurement and installation of safety 
        equipment, including communications or recording systems, such 
        as cell phones, wearable tracking devices with GPS/Bluetooth 
        locator, or panic buttons used for supervised foster care 
        visits and other client visits to assist agencies in locating 
        staff.
            (B) Technical assistance and training for safety 
        communications.
            (2) Training sessions and exercises for self-defense and 
        crisis, together with such organizations as local law 
        enforcement.
            (3) Facility safety improvements.
            (4) Training in cultural competency, including linguistic 
        training, and training on strategies for de-escalating a 
        situation that could turn volatile.
            (5) Training to help work with clients who--
                    (A) have serious mental and substance use 
                disorders; or
                    (B) have behavioral problems and need help coping.
            (6) Educational resources and materials to train staff on 
        safety and awareness measures.
            (7) Support services, counseling, and additional resources 
        for social workers who have experienced safety issues or 
        trauma-related incidents in the workplace.
            (8) Installation of a local data incident tracking system 
        to monitor, prevent, and mitigate future offenses against 
        social workers.
            (9) Other policy developments and implementation activities 
        determined by the Secretary for social work safety training, 
        resources, and support.
    (c) Application.--
            (1) In general.--A State seeking a grant under subsection 
        (a) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
        in such manner, and accompanied by such additional information 
        as the Secretary may require.
            (2) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) describe the type of agencies that will receive 
                funding through the grant and type of work to be done 
                by such agencies;
                    (B) describe the specific activities for which the 
                grant is sought and include a program budget; and
                    (C) contain an assurance that the applicant will 
                evaluate the effectiveness of the safety measures 
                provided through the grant.
    (d) Priority.--In awarding grants under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall give priority to applicants that--
            (1) demonstrate the greatest need based on documented 
        incidents; and
            (2) seek to provide assistance to multiple agencies.
    (e) Quality Assurance and Cost Effectiveness.--The Secretary shall 
establish guidelines for ensuring the quality and cost effectiveness of 
the safety measures funded under this section.
    (f) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide technical 
assistance to recipients of a grant under this section with respect to 
planning, developing, implementing, and sustaining safety measures 
through the grant.
    (g) Report Requirement.--States receiving a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary, not later than 2 years after 
such receipt, a report that includes--
            (1) an assessment of the activities funded in whole or in 
        part with the grant;
            (2) the range and scope of training opportunities provided 
        through training programs funded in whole or in part through a 
        grant under this section, including the numbers and percentages 
        of social workers engaged in such training programs; and
            (3) the incidence of threats to social workers, if any, and 
        the strategies used to address their safety.
    (h) Non-Federal Share.--With respect to the costs of safety 
measures to be provided pursuant to a grant under subsection (a), the 
State receiving the grant shall agree to make available (directly or 
through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal 
contributions toward such costs in an amount that is $1 for each $1 of 
Federal funds awarded through the grant.
    (i) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services.
            (2) The term ``social work'' means--
                    (A) the professional activity of helping 
                individuals, groups, or communities to enhance or 
                restore capacity for social and psychosocial 
                functioning, and to create societal conditions 
                favorable to such enhancement or restoration; and
                    (B) the professional application of values, 
                principles, and techniques related to the activities 
                described in subparagraph (A), including--
                            (i) diagnosing mental and emotional 
                        disorders and treating individuals, families, 
                        or groups for such disorders; and
                            (ii) helping individuals, families, or 
                        groups to obtain tangible services, including 
                        personal, protective, informational, advisory, 
                        community, or maintenance services in order to 
                        improve the overall well-being of individuals.
            (3) The term ``social worker'' means an individual with a 
        baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degree in social work from 
        an institution of higher education who uses knowledge and 
        skills to provide social work services for individuals, 
        families, groups, communities, organizations, or society in 
        general.
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2018 through 2022.