Sponsors (11)
Official title: To establish a grant program to assist eligible entities in developing or expanding behavioral health crisis response programs that do not rely primarily on law enforcement, and for other purposes.
Introduced October 8, 2025 by Yassamin Ansari · Last progress October 8, 2025
The bill uses federal grants to broaden non‑police mobile crisis response and improve outcomes for people in behavioral health crises—especially in underserved areas—while requiring taxpayers to fund the expansion and leaving risks that some jurisdictions will remain restricted by state law, smaller providers may struggle with grant requirements, and law enforcement may still be involved in responses.
People experiencing behavioral health crises (including low‑income and rural residents) gain new access to clinician‑ or EMS‑led mobile crisis teams funded by federal grants, creating non‑police response options for behavioral health calls and prioritizing underserved jurisdictions.
Mental‑health and public safety systems (local governments, nonprofits, EMS/fire agencies) can expand capacity—recruiting, training, and equipping clinicians and paramedics—using federal grant support to stand up or scale mobile crisis teams.
People in crisis (and police departments) may see fewer unnecessary arrests and emergency‑department visits because integrating co‑response teams into 911/988 routes behavioral health calls toward clinical care rather than routine criminal processing.
People nationwide (taxpayers) will ultimately fund new federal spending for FY2026–FY2030 to support these grants, with appropriations not fully specified in the bill.
Some people in crisis may still encounter law enforcement because the co‑response model can include peace officers, raising the risk of continued criminalization for certain callers.
State laws may limit how jurisdictions can change EMS custody or involuntary transport practices, meaning some areas cannot fully implement the program’s intended non‑police transport or custody reforms.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes HHS grants for jurisdictions to create or expand non‑law‑enforcement behavioral health crisis response teams and 911/988 integration (FY2026–2030).
Creates a competitive HHS grant program to help local, Tribal, regional EMS/fire agencies, certified community behavioral health clinics, and partnered nonprofits build or expand behavioral health crisis response teams that operate without relying primarily on law enforcement. Grants can fund recruiting, training, equipment, 911/988 integration, mobile crisis teams and EMS transport protocols; grantees must report annually on outcomes, diversion rates, and community feedback. Funding is authorized as necessary for FY2026–FY2030.