I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5864 
To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 
provide for mental health training for law enforcement, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 14, 2016 
Mr. MCNERNEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Education 
and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 
Act of 1968 to provide for mental health training for 
law enforcement, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mental Health Train-
ing Enhancement for First Responders Act of 2016’’. 
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SEC. 2. MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCE-
MENT. 
Section 2991(b)(5)(I) of the Omnibus Crime Control 
and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797aa(b)(5)(I)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(v) MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING FOR 
LAW ENFORCEMENT.—Funds may be used 
for specialized training for law enforcement 
officers, consistent with the following: 
‘‘(I) The training provides offi-
cers with an understanding of— 
‘‘(aa) mental illnesses and 
their impact on individuals, fami-
lies, and communities; 
‘‘(bb) signs and symptoms of 
mental illnesses; 
‘‘(cc) stabilization and de-es-
calation techniques; 
‘‘(dd) disposition options; 
‘‘(ee) community resources; 
and 
‘‘(ff) funding for States to 
create a database for all public 
safety and outreach. 
‘‘(II) The training includes— 
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‘‘(aa) role play scenarios on 
responding to mental health cri-
ses; 
‘‘(bb) group problem solving 
exercises; 
‘‘(cc) addressing issues spe-
cific to the community; 
‘‘(dd) participation by men-
tal health personnel, experienced 
officers, and other stakeholders; 
‘‘(ee) cross training with law 
enforcement and mental health 
professionals; 
‘‘(ff) 
verbal 
de-escalation 
skills; and 
‘‘(gg) 
presentations 
from 
and interaction with people who 
have experienced and recovered 
from mental health crises and 
with family members who have 
cared for someone with mental 
illness. 
‘‘(III) In the case of training for 
call-takers and 911 dispatchers, the 
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training 
includes 
recommendations 
on— 
‘‘(aa) establishing if the call-
er or others at the address has a 
previous record of mental health 
issues, drug abuse, violence, or 
victimization; 
‘‘(bb) determining if any in-
dividual at the address from 
which the call is placed poses a 
threat of harm to himself or her-
self, or to others; 
‘‘(cc) determining if there is 
a weapon involved in a situation 
with regard to which an emer-
gency call is placed; 
‘‘(dd) establishing best prac-
tice standards for handling emer-
gency calls to be shared inter-
agency; 
‘‘(ee) supplementing training 
with a concise list of questions to 
ask, compiled in partnership be-
tween law enforcement officials 
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and mental health professionals; 
and 
‘‘(ff) relaying information 
correctly to any emergency re-
sponders to the emergency call.’’. 
SEC. 3. OUNCE OF PREVENTION GRANT. 
Section 30102 of the Violent Crime Control and Law 
Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13742) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
at the end and inserting ‘‘;’’; 
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) placing law enforcement officers at local 
education agencies.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b), by inserting after ‘‘private 
nonprofit entities’’ the following: ‘‘, mental health 
entities’’. 
SEC. 4. COMMUNITY SCHOOLS YOUTH SERVICES AND SU-
PERVISION GRANT PROGRAM. 
Section 30401(b)(B) of the Violent Crime Control 
and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 
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13791(b)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(ix) Mental health entities.’’. 
Æ 
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