CARE for First Responders Act

Section 416(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5183(a)) is amended by inserting and to qualified emergency response providers responding to major disasters after victims of major disasters.

Section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122) is amended by adding at the end the following:

The term public safety telecommunicator means a public safety telecommunicator as designated in detailed occupation 43–5031 in the Standard Occupational Classification Manual of the Office of Management and Budget issued in 2018, or any successor designation.

The term qualified emergency response providers means—

(A) emergency response providers (as defined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101)); and

(B) public safety telecommunicators.

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, shall develop and carry out a comprehensive program designed to provide mental health services specifically tailored to qualified emergency response providers. Such program shall—

(1) provide for mental health care availability to qualified emergency response providers on a 24-hour basis;

(2) provide for a qualified emergency response providers hotline operated through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline under section 520E–3 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb–36c) that is confidential and toll-free, sufficiently staffed by appropriately trained mental health personnel and available at all times; and

(3) provide for outreach to, and education programs for, qualified emergency response providers and their families, with priority given to qualified emergency response providers of major disasters.

The Secretary shall, in consultation with the heads of the agencies specified in paragraph (2), conduct or support research on best practices for providing mental health services to, and prevent suicide among, qualified emergency response providers.

The agencies specified in this paragraph are the following:

(A) The Department of Homeland Security.

(B) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(C) The United States Fire Administration.

(D) The National Institute of Mental Health.

(E) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(F) The Department of Justice.

Education provided under subsection (a)(3) shall include information designed to—

(1) remove the stigma associated with mental illness;

(2) encourage qualified emergency response providers to seek treatment and assistance for mental illness;

(3) promote skills for coping with mental illness; and

(4) help families of qualified emergency response providers with—

(A) understanding issues arising from the transition of qualified emergency response providers back into family life and regular work, following the end of a disaster assignment;

(B) identifying signs and symptoms of mental illness; and

(C) encouraging qualified emergency response providers to seek assistance for mental illness.

The Secretary shall, as part of the comprehensive program under this section, establish and carry out a peer support counseling program, under which active and retired qualified emergency response providers may volunteer as peer counselors—

(A) to assist other qualified emergency response providers with issues related to mental health, readiness, and readjustment; and

(B) to conduct outreach to qualified emergency response providers and their families.

In carrying out the peer support counseling program under this section, the Secretary shall—

(A) provide for adequate training of individuals who volunteer to serve as peer counselors, including training carried out under section 416(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and

(B) coordinate with such community organizations, State and local governments, institutions of higher education, chambers of commerce, local business organizations, organizations that provide mental health services, and other organizations as the Secretary considers appropriate.

The Secretary may take such other actions to carry out the comprehensive program under this section as the Secretary determines appropriate for purposes of reducing the incidence of mental illness and suicide among qualified emergency response providers.

In this section:

The term major disaster has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).

The term public safety telecommunicator means a public safety telecommunicator as designated in detailed occupation 43–5031 in the Standard Occupational Classification Manual of the Office of Management and Budget issued in 2018, or any successor designation.

The term qualified emergency response providers means—

(A) emergency response providers (as defined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101)); and

(B) public safety telecommunicators.

The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall award competitive grants to eligible entities to establish a new health care delivery site that is a mobile unit to provide integrated, short-term crisis services to qualified emergency response providers of a major disaster. Such services shall be—

(1) linguistically and culturally appropriate;

(2) trauma-informed; and

(3) incorporate disaster behavioral interventions.

An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection may use funds received through the grant to provide mobile crisis response, stabilization, and intervention services, including—

(1) initial support and triage via mobile crisis team visits;

(2) on-site screening and evaluation of mental and behavioral health issues;

(3) assessment of current supports and resources;

(4) short-term crisis management throughout a major disaster;

(5) referral for appropriate follow-up services, including sub-acute or acute hospital care;

(6) supportive, collaborative crisis planning;

(7) consultation with existing supports and services; and

(8) self-care techniques and resilience training.

The Secretary may purchase or lease equipment for purposes of carrying out this section, which may include data and information systems (including the costs of repaying the principal of, and paying the interest on, loans for equipment).

The amount of a grant awarded under subsection (a) may not exceed $150,000.

The term of a grant awarded under subsection (a) shall be for a period of not less than 6 months. Such term is renewable for a single, additional term so that the total term of the grant does not exceed 2 years.

The Secretary shall—

(1) evaluate the activities supported by grants awarded under subsection (a), and disseminate, as appropriate, the findings from the evaluation;

(2) provide appropriate information, training, and technical assistance, as appropriate, to eligible entities that receive a grant under this section, to help such entities to meet the requirements of this section, including assistance with selection and implementation of evidence-based interventions and frameworks to protect the mental health of qualified emergency response providers; and

(3) identify best practices, as applicable, to improve the identification, assessment, treatment, and timely transition, as appropriate, to additional or follow-up care for qualified emergency response providers who are at risk for mental illness, suicide, and substance abuse, and enhance the coordination of care for such individuals during and after a major disaster, in support of activities supported by grants awarded under subsection (a).

The term eligible entity means a State, local, territorial, or Tribal health department, community health center, rural health clinic, or nonprofit organization that—

(A) is located in or around a major disaster area; and

(B) has experience working with qualified mental health professionals in providing mental health, substance use, or counseling services.

The term major disaster has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).

The term major disaster area has the meaning given such term in section 625.2 of title 20, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

The term public safety telecommunicator means a public safety telecommunicator as designated in detailed occupation 43–5031 in the Standard Occupational Classification Manual of the Office of Management and Budget issued in 2018, or any successor designation.

The term qualified emergency response providers means—

(A) emergency response providers (as defined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101)); and

(B) public safety telecommunicators.

The term qualified mental health professional means a health care practitioner or social and human services provider who—

(A) is licensed or certified under State law in the State involved; and

(B) offers services for the purpose of improving an individual’s mental health or to treat mental health or substance use disorders, including—

(i) a physician, allopathic physicians, osteopathic physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant with a specialty in mental and psychiatry;

(ii) a health service psychologist;

(iii) a licensed clinical social worker;

(iv) a psychiatric nurse specialist;

(v) a marriage and family therapist;

(vi) a licensed professional counselor;

(vii) a substance use disorder counselor;

(viii) an occupational therapist; or

(ix) any other individual who—

(I) has not yet been licensed or certified to serve as a professional listed in any of clauses (i) through (viii); and

(II) will serve at a Federally qualified health center (as defined in section 1861(aa)(4) of the Social Security Act) under the supervision of a licensed individual or certified professional so listed.

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.