SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safer Communities 
Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents of this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
Sec. 3. Statement of purpose. 
TITLE I—STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVING INTERVENTION 
EFFORTS 
Sec. 101. Mental health crisis assessment, prevention, and education grant pro-
gram. 
Sec. 102. School-based mental health programs. 
Sec. 103. High utilizers. 
TITLE II—IMPROVING RESEARCH ON VIOLENCE 
Sec. 201. Research with respect to violence. 
TITLE III—UNDERSTANDING THE EPIDEMIC OF GUN VIOLENCE 
Sec. 301. National violent death reporting system. 
Sec. 302. Reaffirming Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s authority. 
Sec. 303. Protecting confidential doctor-patient relationship. 
TITLE IV—ENSURING SAFE COMMUNITIES 
Sec. 401. Ban on firearm possession by person committed involuntarily to men-
tal institution on an outpatient basis. 
Sec. 402. Grant program regarding firearms. 
Sec. 403. Notification of State and local law enforcement authorities of attempt 
to purchase firearm by ineligible person. 
TITLE V—RESTORATION 
Sec. 501. Federal agency relief program. 
Sec. 502. State relief programs. 
Sec. 503. Ineligibility due to disqualifying mental status. 
TITLE VI—SUBMISSION OF RECORDS TO NATIONAL INSTANT 
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM 
Sec. 601. Reports relating to submission of information to NICS. 
Sec. 602. Reauthorization of the National Criminal History Records Improve-
ment Program. 
Sec. 603. Improvement of metrics and incentives. 
Sec. 604. Grants to States to improve coordination and automation of NICS 
record reporting. 
Sec. 605. Sharing of records by Federal departments and agencies with NICS. 
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SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to ensure the public safety 
and welfare of communities by promoting evidence-based 
approaches that will prevent the tragic toll of gun violence 
on families and communities. This purpose can be accom-
plished by— 
(1) strengthening and improving intervention 
efforts by increasing investments in programs de-
signed to appropriately identify, respond to, treat, 
and mitigate future behavioral health crises; 
(2) prioritizing research on reducing the threat 
of gun violence to self or others and identifying fur-
ther risk factors for violence, including gender, cul-
ture, substance abuse, and history of violence; and 
(3) restricting gun access by individuals found 
to be at an elevated risk of committing future acts 
of violence against self or others. 
TITLE I—STRENGTHENING AND 
IMPROVING 
INTERVENTION 
EFFORTS 
SEC. 101. MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ASSESSMENT, PREVEN-
TION, AND EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the 
following definitions shall apply: 
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(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means a State, political subdivision of a State, 
or nonprofit private entity. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 
United States, and each federally recognized Indian 
tribe. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a program to award grants to eligible entities 
to carry out the activities described in paragraph 
(2). 
(2) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Grants under this sec-
tion may be used to carry out programs that— 
(i) expand early invention and treat-
ment services to improve access to mental 
health crisis assistance and address unmet 
mental health care needs; 
(ii) expand the continuum of services 
to address crisis intervention and crisis 
stabilization; 
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(iii) reduce recidivism due to mental 
health crises and mitigate unnecessary ex-
penditures by local law enforcement; and 
(iv) reduce unnecessary hospitaliza-
tions by appropriately utilizing community- 
based services and improving access to 
timely mental health crisis assistance. 
(B) AUTHORIZED
ACTIVITIES.—The pro-
grams described in subparagraph (A) may in-
clude any or all of the following activities: 
(i) Mental health crisis intervention 
and response training for law enforcement 
(to increase officers’ understanding and 
recognition of mental illnesses). 
(ii) Mobile support that provides field- 
based behavioral health assistance to law 
enforcement and members of the commu-
nity and links individuals in crisis to ap-
propriate services. 
(iii) 
School 
and 
community-based 
early intervention and prevention programs 
that provide mobile response, screening 
and assessment, training and education, 
and peer-based and family services. 
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(3) APPLICATION.—To be considered for a 
grant under this section, an eligible entity shall sub-
mit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require. At minimum, such appli-
cation shall include a description of— 
(A) the activities to be funded with the 
grant; 
(B) community needs; 
(C) the population to be served; and 
(D) the interaction between the activities 
described in subparagraph (A) and public sys-
tems of health and mental health care, law en-
forcement, social services, and related assist-
ance programs. 
(4) SELECTING AMONG APPLICANTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Grants shall be award-
ed to eligible entities on a competitive basis. 
(B) SELECTION CRITERIA.—The Secretary 
shall evaluate applicants based on such criteria 
as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, 
including the ability of an applicant to carry 
out the activities described in paragraph (2). 
(5) REPORTS.— 
(A) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 
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