I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8492 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants 
to States to provide safety measures to social workers, health workers, 
and human services professionals performing services placing such indi-
viduals in high-risk and potentially dangerous situations, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 26, 2022 
Ms. BROWNLEY (for herself and Ms. KELLY of Illinois) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to award grants to States to provide safety measures 
to social workers, health workers, and human services 
professionals performing services placing such individuals 
in high-risk and potentially dangerous situations, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Social 
Workers and Health Professionals from Workplace Vio-
lence Act’’. 
SEC. 2. WORKPLACE SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 
grants to States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organiza-
tions, and urban Indian organizations to provide 
safety measures to social workers, health workers, 
and human services professionals (as designated by 
the Secretary), performing services placing such in-
dividuals in high-risk and potentially dangerous situ-
ations. 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In awarding grants under 
this subsection, the Secretary may consult with the 
Secretary of Labor and the heads of other relevant 
Federal agencies. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—A grant awarded under sub-
section (a) may be used to provide or support the following 
safety measures: 
(1)(A) The procurement and installation of 
safety equipment, including communications or re-
cording systems, such as cell phones, wearable track-
ing devices with GPS/Bluetooth locator, or panic 
buttons, such as the equipment used for supervised 
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foster care visits and other client visits, to assist en-
tities employing social workers, health workers, and 
human services professionals described in subsection 
(a) in ensuring staff safety. 
(B) Technical assistance and training for safety 
communications. 
(2) Training sessions and exercises for self-de-
fense and crisis management, provided together with 
such organizations as local law enforcement. 
(3) Facility safety improvements, such as bar-
rier protection and security cameras. 
(4) Training in cultural competency, including 
linguistic training, and training on strategies for de- 
escalating conflict situations. 
(5) Training to help social workers, health 
workers, and human services professionals, work 
with clients who— 
(A) have serious mental and substance use 
disorders; or 
(B) have behavioral problems and need 
help coping. 
(6) Resources and materials to inform and edu-
cate staff on safety and awareness measures. 
(7) Support services, counseling, and additional 
resources for social workers, health workers, and 
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human services professionals, who have experienced 
safety issues or trauma-related incidents in the 
workplace. 
(8) Installation of a local data incident tracking 
system to monitor, prevent, and mitigate violence 
against social workers, health workers, and human 
services professionals. 
(9) Other prevention and mitigation measures 
determined appropriate by the Secretary for safety 
training, resources, and support for social workers, 
health workers, and human services professionals. 
(c) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A State, Indian Tribe, Trib-
al organization, or urban Indian organization seek-
ing a grant under subsection (a) shall submit an ap-
plication to the Secretary at such time, in such man-
ner, and accompanied by such additional information 
as the Secretary may require. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted 
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) describe the type of entities that will 
receive funding through the grant and type of 
work to be done by such entities; 
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(B) describe the specific activities for 
which the grant is sought and include a pro-
gram budget; and 
(C) contain an assurance that the appli-
cant will evaluate the effectiveness of the safety 
measures provided through the grant. 
(d) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall give priority to applicants that— 
(1)(A) demonstrate the greatest need based on 
documented incidents of violence against social 
workers, health workers, and human services profes-
sionals; and 
(B) seek to provide assistance to multiple enti-
ties employing social workers, health workers, and 
human services professionals performing services 
placing such individuals in high-risk and potentially 
dangerous situations; or 
(2) seek to enhance existing efforts by the ap-
plicant (existing on the date on which the applicant 
submits the application) to improve the safety of so-
cial workers, health workers, and human services 
professionals. 
(e) QUALITY ASSURANCE
AND COST EFFECTIVE-
NESS.—The Secretary shall establish guidelines for ensur-
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ing the quality and cost effectiveness of the safety meas-
ures funded under this section. 
(f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
provide technical assistance to recipients of a grant under 
this section with respect to planning, developing, imple-
menting, reporting, and sustaining safety measures 
through the grant. 
(g) REPORT REQUIREMENT.—Each State, Indian 
Tribe, Tribal organization, or urban Indian organization 
receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the 
Secretary, not later than 2 years after receiving such 
grant, a report that includes— 
(1) an assessment of the effectiveness of the ac-
tivities funded in whole or in part with funds award-
ed through the grant; 
(2) the range and scope of training opportuni-
ties provided through training programs funded in 
whole or in part with such funds, including the num-
bers and percentages of social workers, health work-
ers, and human services professionals, engaged in 
such training programs; and 
(3) the incidence of threats to social workers, 
health workers, and human services professionals, if 
any, and the strategies used to address their safety. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) The term ‘‘health worker’’ includes— 
(A) a Community Health Representative 
that has completed training under the Commu-
nity Health Representative Program of the In-
dian Health Service under section 107 of the 
Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 
U.S.C. 1616); 
(B) a health aide or community health 
practitioner certified under the Community 
Health Aide Program of the Indian Health 
Service under section 119 of that Act (25 
U.S.C. 1616l); and 
(C) other behavioral health aides and men-
tal health aides. 
(2) The terms ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ and ‘‘Tribal or-
ganization’’ have the meanings given such terms in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(3) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services. 
(4) The term ‘‘social work’’ means— 
(A) the applied science of helping individ-
uals, groups, or communities to enhance or re-
store capacity for social and psychosocial func-
tioning, and effecting societal changes favorable 
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to such enhancement or restoration for all peo-
ple; and 
(B) the professional application of social 
work values, principles, and techniques related 
to the activities described in subparagraph (A), 
including— 
(i) diagnosing mental and emotional 
disorders and providing counseling and 
psychotherapy services to individuals, fami-
lies, or groups for such disorders; and 
(ii) helping individuals, families, or 
groups to obtain tangible services, includ-
ing personal, protective, informational, ad-
visory, community, housing, education, 
health, and mental health services in order 
to improve the overall well-being of individ-
uals. 
(5) The term ‘‘social worker’’ means an indi-
vidual, with a baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral 
degree in social work from an institution of higher 
education, who uses knowledge and skills to provide 
social work services for individuals, families, groups, 
communities, organizations, or society in general. 
(6) The term ‘‘urban Indian organization’’ has 
the meaning given such term in section 4 of the In-
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dian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 
1603). 
(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027. 
Æ 
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