Protecting Social Workers and Health Professionals from Workplace Violence Act
Bill: H.R.8492 | Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia (D-CA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Protecting Social Workers and Health Professionals from Workplace Violence Act
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to states, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations for providing safety measures to social workers, health workers, and human services professionals who perform services in high-risk and potentially dangerous situations.

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 Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Social Workers and Health 
Professionals from Workplace Violence Act''.

SEC. 2. WORKPLACE SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to 
        States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, 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 individuals 
        in high-risk and potentially dangerous situations.
            (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 subsection (a) may be used 
to provide or support the following safety measures:
            (1)(A) The procurement and installation of safety 
        equipment, including communications or recording systems, such 
        as cell phones, wearable tracking devices with GPS/Bluetooth 
        locator, or panic buttons, such as the equipment used for 
        supervised foster care visits and other client visits, to 
        assist entities 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-defense and 
        crisis management, provided together with such organizations as 
        local law enforcement.
            (3) Facility safety improvements, such as barrier 
        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 educate staff on 
        safety and awareness measures.
            (7) Support services, counseling, and additional resources 
        for social workers, health workers, and 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, Tribal 
        organization, or urban Indian organization seeking a grant 
        under subsection (a) shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, 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;
                    (B) describe the specific activities for which the 
                grant is sought and include a program budget; and
                    (C) contain an assurance that the applicant 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 professionals; and
            (B) seek to provide assistance to multiple entities 
        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 applicant 
        (existing on the date on which the applicant submits the 
        application) to improve the safety of social workers, health 
        workers, and human services professionals.
    (e) Quality Assurance and Cost Effectiveness.--The Secretary shall 
establish guidelines for ensuring the quality and cost effectiveness of 
the safety measures 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, implementing, 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 activities 
        funded in whole or in part with funds awarded through the 
        grant;
            (2) the range and scope of training opportunities provided 
        through training programs funded in whole or in part with such 
        funds, including the numbers and percentages of social workers, 
        health workers, 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:
            (1) The term ``health worker'' includes--
                    (A) a Community Health Representative that has 
                completed training under the Community Health 
                Representative Program of the Indian 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 mental health 
                aides.
            (2) The terms ``Indian Tribe'' and ``Tribal organization'' 
        have the meanings given such terms in section 4 of the Indian 
        Self-Determination and Education 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 individuals, 
                groups, or communities to enhance or restore capacity 
                for social and psychosocial functioning, and effecting 
                societal changes favorable to such enhancement or 
                restoration for all people; 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, 
                        families, or groups for such disorders; and
                            (ii) helping individuals, families, or 
                        groups to obtain tangible services, including 
                        personal, protective, informational, advisory, 
                        community, housing, education, health, and 
                        mental health services in order to improve the 
                        overall well-being of individuals.
            (5) The term ``social worker'' means an individual, 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 Indian 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.
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