Pilot program supporting behavioral health of first responders

(a) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary) shall establish a 3-year pilot program under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities to assist qualified emergency response providers in supporting the behavioral health needs of qualified emergency response providers. (b) Use of funds An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section may use funds received through the grant for one of the following purposes: (1) Embedding clinicians, who are licensed or certified by the respective jurisdictions in which such clinicians practice, with qualified emergency response providers for purposes of providing confidential counseling services, in accordance with confidentiality requirements of such respective jurisdiction. (2) Establishing a peer-to-peer program at a qualified emergency response provider under which counseling services described in paragraph (1) are provided, including in response to a behavioral health incident and at periodic intervals after such an incident. (3) Overseeing the operation of, or otherwise supporting, such a program. (4) Assisting in providing training to peer-to-peer behavioral health care providers at a qualified emergency response provider. (c) Application An eligible entity seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require. Such application shall include— (1) a description of how the entity plans to use funds received through the grant; (2) a description of any behavioral health care programs the entity operates as of the date of the submission of the application, including any peer-to-peer programs; and (3) the entity’s assessment of how the grant funds could be used to improve behavioral health outcomes in the area served by such entity. (d) Priority In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities seeking to assist qualified emergency response providers that are under-resourced with respect to behavioral health care and peer-to-peer programs. (e) Geographic distribution In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure an equitable geographic distribution of funds. (f) Report Not later than one year after the date on which the pilot program under this section concludes, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on such program. Such report shall address— (1) whether and how the program improved behavioral health outcomes for qualified emergency response providers; (2) how many peer-to-peer contacts were made under the program; and (3) how many peer-to-peer behavior health care providers were trained under the program. (g) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means a State, local, county, or regional public health department, a local, county, or regional behavioral health agency, or a non-profit organization with experience servicing first responders with respect to improving behavioral health outcomes. (2) Public safety telecommunicator 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. (3) Qualified emergency response provider The term qualified emergency response provider means— (A) an emergency response provider (as defined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101)); and (B) a public safety telecommunicator. (h) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2029.