section, including assistance with selection and im-
plementation of evidence-based interventions and 
frameworks to protect the mental health of qualified 
emergency response providers; and 
‘‘(3) identify best practices, as applicable, to 
improve the identification, assessment, treatment, 
and timely transition, as appropriate, to additional 
or follow-up care for qualified emergency response 
providers who are at risk for mental illness, suicide, 
and substance abuse, and enhance the coordination 
of care for such individuals during and after a major 
disaster, in support of activities supported by grants 
awarded under subsection (a). 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.— 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means a State, local, territorial, or Tribal 
health department, community health center, rural 
health clinic, or nonprofit organization that— 
‘‘(A) is located in or around a major dis-
aster area; and 
‘‘(B) has experience working with qualified 
mental health professionals in providing mental 
health, substance use, or counseling services. 
‘‘(2) MAJOR DISASTER.—The term ‘major dis-
aster’ has the meaning given such term in section 
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102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122). 
‘‘(3) MAJOR DISASTER AREA.—The term ‘major 
disaster area’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 625.2 of title 20, Code of Federal Regula-
tions (or successor regulations). 
‘‘(4) PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS.— 
The term ‘public safety telecommunicator’ means a 
public safety telecommunicator as designated in de-
tailed occupation 43–5031 in the Standard Occupa-
tional Classification Manual of the Office of Man-
agement and Budget issued in 2018, or any suc-
cessor designation. 
‘‘(5) QUALIFIED EMERGENCY RESPONSE PRO-
VIDERS.—The term ‘qualified emergency response 
providers’ means— 
‘‘(A) emergency response providers (as de-
fined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101)); and 
‘‘(B) public safety telecommunicators. 
‘‘(6) QUALIFIED
MENTAL
HEALTH
PROFES-
SIONAL.—The term ‘qualified mental health profes-
sional’ means a health care practitioner or social and 
human services provider who— 
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‘‘(A) is licensed or certified under State 
law in the State involved; and 
‘‘(B) offers services for the purpose of im-
proving an individual’s mental health or to treat 
mental health or substance use disorders, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(i) a physician, allopathic physicians, 
osteopathic physician, nurse practitioner, 
or physician assistant with a specialty in 
mental and psychiatry; 
‘‘(ii) a health service psychologist; 
‘‘(iii) a licensed clinical social worker; 
‘‘(iv) a psychiatric nurse specialist; 
‘‘(v) a marriage and family therapist; 
‘‘(vi) a licensed professional counselor; 
‘‘(vii) a substance use disorder coun-
selor; 
‘‘(viii) an occupational therapist; or 
‘‘(ix) any other individual who— 
‘‘(I) has not yet been licensed or 
certified to serve as a professional list-
ed in any of clauses (i) through (viii); 
and 
‘‘(II) will serve at a Federally 
qualified health center (as defined in 
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section 1861(aa)(4) of the Social Se-
curity Act) under the supervision of a 
licensed individual or certified profes-
sional so listed. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.’’. 
Æ 
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