Care for our Firefighters Act
Bill: H.R.5282 | Sponsor: Rep. Neguse, Joe (D-CO)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Care for our Firefighters Act
This bill establishes a program and provides additional leave to support mental health for federal wildland firefighters.
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior must carry out a mental health awareness and support program for federal wildland firefighters. Components of the program must include an awareness campaign, relevant education and training, a peer-to-peer mental health support network, and increased access to mental health benefits.
The bill also entitles each federal wildland firefighter to seven consecutive days of leave to be taken between June 1 and October 31 of each calendar year to maintain mental health. Leave not taken during that period expires.

To establish a mental health program for Federal wildland firefighters, 
                        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 ``Care for our Firefighters 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 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 include--
            (1) a mental health awareness campaign;
            (2) a mental health education and training program that 
        includes an on-boarding curriculum;
            (3) an extensive peer-to-peer mental health support network 
        for Federal wildland firefighters and their immediate family;
            (4) expanding the Critical Incident Stress Management 
        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 monitoring and tracking mental health in the profession to 
        better understand the scope of the issue and develop 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 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 calendar 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 Department 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 aviation, fire heavy equipment operations, 
emergency dispatch communication services, or fire and fuels 
management.
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