Sponsors (20)
The bill expands and funds tailored, around‑the‑clock mental‑health and peer support for responders (including 911 operators) and their families—strengthening local disaster response—while introducing modest federal costs, administrative burdens, and implementation limits that could leave coverage, scale, or eligibility gaps if not fully funded and staffed.
Firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, transportation workers, and other qualified emergency responders gain 24/7 access to tailored mental health care and a confidential 988 hotline, improving crisis support and potentially reducing suicides and other harms.
Public safety telecommunicators (911 operators) are explicitly made eligible for Stafford Act crisis counseling and training, extending disaster mental‑health support to a previously excluded first‑line responder group.
Broadening the definition of 'qualified emergency response providers' increases the number of jurisdictions and responder types that can access federal crisis counseling resources and training, strengthening local disaster-response capacity, including in rural areas.
The confidential 988 hotline and 24/7 coverage depend on sustained staffing and training; inadequate staffing could create coverage gaps and leave responders without promised round‑the‑clock support.
Expanding eligibility and services could increase demand on already limited crisis counseling funds, potentially diluting resources available per recipient unless funding is increased.
The legislation authorizes $5 million per year (2026–2030) to fund programs; while modest, this new federal cost requires budget offsets or adds to budgetary pressure.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Expands Stafford Act definitions to include public safety telecommunicators and requires HHS to create a 24/7 mental health program, hotline, family supports, peer counselors, and research for emergency responders.
Official title: To increase access to mental health, substance use, and counseling services for first responders, and for other purposes.
Introduced December 10, 2025 by Jill Tokuda · Last progress December 10, 2025
Creates federal authority and requirements to expand mental health services and supports for emergency response personnel, including 24/7 access to care, a confidential toll-free hotline routed through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, outreach and education for responders and families, family-support activities, a volunteer peer counselor program, and research on best practices. It also amends disaster law definitions to explicitly include public safety telecommunicators as qualified emergency response providers eligible for programs under the Stafford Act. Requires HHS (via SAMHSA) to establish a comprehensive mental health program for ‘‘qualified emergency response providers’’ within two years and directs interagency consultation and research; it authorizes program elements but does not specify new appropriations or dollar amounts.