Sponsors (13)
The bill promotes nationwide, trauma-informed and accountable responses to sexual assault—improving care for survivors and standardizing training—but shifts costs and administrative burdens to local agencies, may lack funding continuity, and poses privacy risks if survivor data aren't well protected.
Law enforcement and EMS personnel will receive trauma-informed training that improves interactions with sexual assault survivors, reducing retraumatization and improving care.
Survivors of sexual assault will receive more victim-centered responses and have their experiences solicited to shape and improve programs and responses.
State and local agencies will get standardized training materials and a searchable trainer registry, making it easier to find qualified, diverse trainers and expand access to consistent programs nationwide.
Survivors could face privacy and confidentiality risks if collecting and publishing survivor feedback and prosecution outcomes is not carefully protected.
State and local governments and law enforcement may incur significant costs and administrative burdens to meet required training hours and diversity requirements, especially if federal grants only partially cover expenses.
Law enforcement and EMS agencies may struggle to sustain training and program continuity because the grant period is limited to one year, risking gaps when federal funding ends.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes one-year HHS grants to expand trauma-informed, victim-centered sexual-assault training for law enforcement and EMS, with minimum training-hour requirements and reporting.
Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act to expand trauma-informed training for law enforcement personnel and emergency medical technicians related to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking cases, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 30, 2025 by Janice D. Schakowsky · Last progress April 30, 2025
Authorizes one-year HHS grants to state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies and EMS oversight agencies to create and expand trauma-informed, victim-centered training on sexual assault and related trauma for police and emergency medical personnel. Sets minimum training hours (at least 8 hours for initial academy/initial EMS/fire training and at least 4 hours annually for other personnel), requires HHS to maintain a searchable trainer directory, encourages diverse trainers, and mandates annual reports to Congress on grant counts, program effectiveness, prosecution outcomes, and survivor feedback. The law focuses on improving how first responders recognize and respond to sexual assault survivors, supports evidence-based or promising training models, and tracks outcomes to evaluate program impact.