Title: Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017
This bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to report on Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs mental health practices and services that could be adopted by law enforcement agencies.
Additionally, DOJ's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services must report on programs to address the psychological health and well-being of law enforcement officers.
The bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to include establishing peer mentoring mental health and wellness pilot programs within state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
DOJ must coordinate with the Department of Health and Human Services to develop educational resources for mental health providers regarding the culture of law enforcement agencies and therapies for mental health issues common to law enforcement officers.
DOJ must also: (1) review existing crisis hotlines, recommend improvements, and research annual mental health checks; (2) examine the mental health and wellness needs of federal officers; and (3) ensure that recommendations, resources, or programs under this bill protect the privacy of participating officers.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2228 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2228

 To provide support for law enforcement agency efforts to protect the 
mental health and well-being of law enforcement officers, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2017

   Mrs. Brooks of Indiana (for herself, Mrs. Demings, Mr. Collins of 
Georgia, Mr. Pascrell, and Mr. Reichert) introduced the following bill; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide support for law enforcement agency efforts to protect the 
mental health and well-being of law enforcement officers, 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 ``Law Enforcement Mental Health and 
Wellness Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

    (a) Interagency Collaboration.--The Attorney General shall consult 
with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
submit to Congress a report, which shall be made publicly available, on 
Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs mental health 
practices and services that could be adopted by Federal, State, local, 
or tribal law enforcement agencies.
    (b) Case Studies.--The Director of the Office of Community Oriented 
Policing Services shall submit to Congress a report--
            (1) that is similar to the report entitled ``Health, 
        Safety, and Wellness Program Case Studies in Law Enforcement'' 
        published by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 
        in 2015; and
            (2) that focuses on case studies of programs designed 
        primarily to address officer psychological health and well-
        being.
    (c) Peer Mentoring Pilot Program.--Section 1701(b) of the Omnibus 
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd(b)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (21), by striking ``; and'' and inserting 
        a semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (22), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(23) to establish peer mentoring mental health and 
        wellness pilot programs within State, tribal, and local law 
        enforcement agencies.''.

SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.

    The Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, shall develop resources to educate mental health 
providers about the culture of Federal, State, tribal, and local law 
enforcement agencies and evidence-based therapies for mental health 
issues common to Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement 
officers.

SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR OFFICERS.

    The Attorney General shall--
            (1) in consultation with Federal, State, local, and tribal 
        law enforcement agencies--
                    (A) identify and review the effectiveness of any 
                existing crisis hotlines for law enforcement officers;
                    (B) provide recommendations to Congress on whether 
                Federal support for existing crisis hotlines or the 
                creation of an alternative hotline would improve the 
                effectiveness or use of the hotline; and
                    (C) conduct research into the efficacy of an annual 
                mental health check for law enforcement officers;
            (2) in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security 
        and the head of other Federal agencies that employ law 
        enforcement officers, examine the mental health and wellness 
        needs of Federal law enforcement officers, including the 
        efficacy of expanding peer mentoring programs for law 
        enforcement officers at each Federal agency; and
            (3) ensure that any recommendations, resources, or programs 
        provided under this Act protect the privacy of participating 
        law enforcement officers.
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