traumatic patient-related events, including coun-
seling services and wellness seminars; 
‘‘(2) provide training to health care providers to 
serve as peer counselors to other health care pro-
viders; 
‘‘(3) purchase materials to be used exclusively 
to provide such training; and 
‘‘(4) disseminate such information and mate-
rials as are necessary to conduct such training and 
provide such peer counseling. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term ‘eligible 
entity’ means a hospital, including a critical access hos-
pital (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of the Social Se-
curity Act) or a disproportionate share hospital (as defined 
under section 1923(a)(1)(A) of such Act), a Federally- 
qualified 
health 
center 
(as 
defined 
in 
section 
1905(1)(2)(B) of such Act), or any other health care facil-
ity.’’. 
SEC. 5. DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES FOR EDUCATING 
MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ABOUT 
TREATING FIRE FIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY 
MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the United 
States Fire Administration, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services, shall develop and
make publicly available resources that may be used by the 
Federal Government and other entities to educate mental 
health professionals about— 
(1) the culture of Federal, State, Tribal, and 
local career, volunteer, and combination fire depart-
ments and emergency medical services agencies; 
(2) the different stressors experienced by fire-
fighters and emergency medical services personnel, 
supervisory firefighters and emergency medical serv-
ices personnel, and chief officers of fire departments 
and emergency medical services agencies; 
(3) challenges encountered by retired fire-
fighters and emergency medical services personnel; 
and 
(4) evidence-based therapies for mental health 
issues common to firefighters and emergency med-
ical services personnel within such departments and 
agencies. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In developing resources under 
subsection (a), the Administrator of the United States 
Fire Administration and the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall consult with national fire and emer-
gency medical services organizations. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1) The term ‘‘firefighter’’ means any employee, 
regardless of rank or whether the employee receives 
compensation, of a Federal, State, Tribal, or local 
fire department who is responsible for responding to 
calls for emergency service. 
(2) The term ‘‘emergency medical services per-
sonnel’’ means any employee, regardless of rank or 
whether the employee receives compensation, as de-
fined in section 1204(7) of the Omnibus Crime Con-
trol and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 
10284(7)). 
(3) The term ‘‘chief officer’’ means any indi-
vidual who is responsible for the overall operation of 
a fire department or an emergency medical services 
agency, irrespective of whether such individual also 
serves as a firefighter or emergency medical services 
personnel. 
SEC. 6. BEST PRACTICES AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR AD-
DRESSING 
POSTTRAUMATIC 
STRESS 
DIS-
ORDER IN PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS. 
(a) DEVELOPMENT; UPDATES.—The Secretary of 
Health and Human Services shall— 
(1) develop and assemble evidence-based best 
practices and other resources to identify, prevent,
and treat posttraumatic stress disorder and co-oc-
curring disorders in public safety officers; and 
(2) reassess and update, as the Secretary deter-
mines necessary, such best practices and resources, 
including based upon the options for interventions to 
reduce suicide among public safety officers identified 
in 
the 
annual 
reports 
required 
by 
section 
317W(e)(1)(F) of the Public Health Service Act, as 
added by section 2 of this Act. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In developing, assembling, and 
updating the best practices and resources under sub-
section (a), the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
shall consult with, at a minimum, the following: 
(1) Public health experts. 
(2) Mental health experts with experience in 
studying suicide and other profession-related trau-
matic stress. 
(3) Clinicians with experience in diagnosing and 
treating mental health issues. 
(4) Relevant national police, fire, and emer-
gency medical services organizations. 
(c) AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall make the best practices and re-
sources under subsection (a) available to Federal, State,
and local fire, law enforcement, and emergency medical 
services agencies. 
(d) FEDERAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PRO-
GRAMS.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
shall work with Federal departments and agencies, includ-
ing the United States Fire Administration, to incorporate 
education and training on the best practices and resources 
under subsection (a) into Federal training and develop-
ment programs for public safety officers. 
(e) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘public 
safety officer’’ means— 
(1) a public safety officer as defined in section 
1204 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10284); or 
(2) a public safety telecommunicator as de-
scribed in detailed occupation 43–5031 in the Stand-
ard Occupational Classification Manual of the Office 
of Management and Budget (2018). 
Passed the House of Representatives September 21, 
2020. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1646 
AN ACT 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services to improve the detection, prevention, 
and treatment of mental health issues among 
public safety officers, and for other purposes.