I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5282 
To establish a mental health program for Federal wildland firefighters, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 
Mr. NEGUSE (for himself and Ms. PORTER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addi-
tion to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a mental health program for Federal wildland 
firefighters, 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 ‘‘Care for our Fire-
fighters Act’’. 
SEC. 
2. 
MENTAL 
HEALTH 
PROGRAM 
FOR 
FEDERAL 
WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS. 
(a) MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM.—Subject to the 
availability of appropriations, not later than 180 days 
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after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries 
of the Interior and Agriculture shall establish and carry 
out a program for Federal wildland firefighters for mental 
health awareness and support. Such program shall in-
clude— 
(1) a mental health awareness campaign; 
(2) a mental health education and training pro-
gram that includes an on-boarding curriculum; 
(3) an extensive peer-to-peer mental health sup-
port network for Federal wildland firefighters and 
their immediate family; 
(4) expanding the Critical Incident Stress Man-
agement Program through training, developing, and 
retaining a larger pool of qualified mental health 
professionals who are familiar with the experiences 
of the wildland firefighting workforce, and moni-
toring and tracking mental health in the profession 
to better understand the scope of the issue and de-
velop strategies to assist; and 
(5) establish and carry out a new and distinct 
mental health support service specific to Federal 
wildland firefighters and their immediate family, 
with culturally relevant and trauma-informed mental 
health professionals who are readily available and 
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not subject to any limit on the number of sessions 
or service provided. 
(b) 
MENTAL
HEALTH
LEAVE.—Each 
Federal 
wildland firefighter shall be entitled to 7 consecutive days 
of leave, without loss or reduction in pay, during each cal-
endar year for the purposes of maintaining mental health. 
Such leave may only be taken during the period beginning 
on June 1 and ending on October 31 of any such year. 
If leave is not taken under this section it expires after 
October 31 of the calendar year. 
(c) FEDERAL WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER DEFINED.— 
In this Act, the term ‘‘Federal wildland firefighter’’ means 
any temporary, seasonal, or permanent position at the De-
partment of Agriculture or the Department of Interior 
that maintains group, emergency incident management, or 
fire qualifications and primarily engages in or supports 
wildland fire management activities, including forestry 
and rangeland technicians and positions concerning avia-
tion, fire heavy equipment operations, emergency dispatch 
communication services, or fire and fuels management. 
Æ 
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