Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act or the HERO Act
This bill establishes and authorizes a series of programs relating to the behavioral health of law enforcement officers, first responders, 9-1-1 operators, and other public safety officers and health care providers.
Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must develop best practices for identifying, preventing, and treating post-traumatic stress and co-occurring disorders in public safety officers. HHS must work with the Fire Administration (a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and other federal agencies to incorporate the best practices into education and training programs for public safety officers.
In addition, the Fire Administration must develop resources to educate mental health professionals about the workplace stressors and evidence-based therapies to treat mental health issues common to firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) providers.
The bill also permits HHS to establish (1) a system at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for reporting suicides of public safety officers, and (2) grant programs to support behavioral health and wellness programs for fire departments, EMS agencies, and health care providers.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3671 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3671
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to improve the
detection, prevention, and treatment of mental health issues among
public safety officers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 25, 2023
Mr. Bera (for himself, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Johnson of
Georgia, Ms. Norton, Ms. De La Cruz, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Carson, Mr.
Kilmer, Ms. Titus, Ms. Wild, and Mr. Trone) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and
in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to improve the
detection, prevention, and treatment of mental health issues among
public safety officers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Emergency Responders
Overcome Act'' or the ``HERO Act''.
SEC. 2. DATA SYSTEM TO CAPTURE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER SUICIDE
INCIDENCE.
The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting before
section 318 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 247c) the following:
``SEC. 317V. DATA SYSTEM TO CAPTURE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER
SUICIDE INCIDENCE.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in coordination with the Director
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies as
the Secretary determines appropriate, may--
``(1) develop and maintain a data system, to be known as
the Public Safety Officer Suicide Reporting System, for the
purposes of--
``(A) collecting data on the suicide incidence
among public safety officers; and
``(B) facilitating the study of successful
interventions to reduce suicide among public safety
officers; and
``(2) integrate such system into the National Violent Death
Reporting System, so long as the Secretary determines such
integration to be consistent with the purposes described in
paragraph (1).
``(b) Data Collection.--In collecting data for the Public Safety
Officer Suicide Reporting System, the Secretary shall, at a minimum,
collect the following information:
``(1) The total number of suicides in the United States
among all public safety officers in a given calendar year.
``(2) Suicide rates for public safety officers in a given
calendar year, disaggregated by--
``(A) age and gender of the public safety officer;
``(B) State;
``(C) occupation; including both the individual's
role in their public safety agency and their primary
occupation in the case of volunteer public safety
officers;
``(D) where available, the status of the public
safety officer as volunteer, paid-on-call, or career;
and
``(E) status of the public safety officer as active
or retired.
``(c) Consultation During Development.--In developing the Public
Safety Officer Suicide Reporting System, the Secretary shall consult
with non-Federal experts to determine the best means to collect data
regarding suicide incidence in a safe, sensitive, anonymous, and
effective manner. Such non-Federal experts shall include, as
appropriate, the following:
``(1) Public health experts with experience in developing
and maintaining suicide registries.
``(2) Organizations that track suicide among public safety
officers.
``(3) Mental health experts with experience in studying
suicide and other profession-related traumatic stress.
``(4) Clinicians with experience in diagnosing and treating
mental health issues.
``(5) Active and retired volunteer, paid-on-call, and
career public safety officers.
``(6) Relevant national police, and fire and emergency
medical services, organizations.
``(d) Data Privacy and Security.--In developing and maintaining the
Public Safety Officer Suicide Reporting System, the Secretary shall
ensure that all applicable Federal privacy and security protections are
followed to ensure that--
``(1) the confidentiality and anonymity of suicide victims
and their families are protected, including so as to ensure
that data cannot be used to deny benefits; and
``(2) data is sufficiently secure to prevent unauthorized
access.
``(e) Reporting.--
``(1) Annual report.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of enactment of the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act,
and biannually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report
to the Congress on the suicide incidence among public safety
officers. Each such report shall--
``(A) include the number and rate of such suicide
incidence, disaggregated by age, gender, and State of
employment;
``(B) identify characteristics and contributing
circumstances for suicide among public safety officers;
``(C) disaggregate rates of suicide by--
``(i) occupation;
``(ii) status as volunteer, paid-on-call,
or career; and
``(iii) status as active or retired;
``(D) include recommendations for further study
regarding the suicide incidence among public safety
officers;
``(E) specify in detail, if found, any obstacles in
collecting suicide rates for volunteers and include
recommended improvements to overcome such obstacles;
``(F) identify options for interventions to reduce
suicide among public safety officers; and
``(G) describe procedures to ensure the
confidentiality and anonymity of suicide victims and
their families, as described in subsection (d)(1).
``(2) Public availability.--Upon the submission of each
report to the Congress under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
make the full report publicly available on the website of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
``(f) Definition.--In this section, the term `public safety
officer' means--
``(1) a public safety officer as defined in section 1204 of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968; or
``(2) a public safety telecommunicator as described in
detailed occupation 43-5031 in the Standard Occupational
Classification Manual of the Office of Management and Budget
(2018).
``(g) Prohibited Use of Information.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, if an individual is identified as deceased based on
information contained in the Public Safety Officer Suicide Reporting
System, such information may not be used to deny or rescind life
insurance payments or other benefits to a survivor of the deceased
individual.''.
SEC. 3. PEER-SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS WITHIN
FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE AGENCIES.
(a) In General.--Part B of title III of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 243 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 320C. PEER-SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS
WITHIN FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE
AGENCIES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to eligible
entities for the purpose of establishing or enhancing peer-support
behavioral health and wellness programs within fire departments and
emergency medical services agencies.
``(b) Program Description.--A peer-support behavioral health and
wellness program funded under this section shall--
``(1) use career and volunteer members of fire departments
or emergency medical services agencies to serve as peer
counselors;
``(2) provide training to members of career, volunteer, and
combination fire departments or emergency medical service
agencies to serve as such peer counselors;
``(3) purchase materials to be used exclusively to provide
such training; and
``(4) disseminate such information and materials as are
necessary to conduct the program.
``(c) Definition.--In this section:
``(1) The term `eligible entity' means a nonprofit
organization with expertise and experience with respect to the
health and life safety of members of fire and emergency medical
services agencies.
``(2) The term `member'--
``(A) with respect to an emergency medical services
agency, means an employee, regardless of rank or
whether the employee receives compensation (as defined
in section 1204(7) of the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act of 1968); and
``(B) with respect to a fire department, means any
employee, regardless of rank or whether the employee
receives compensation, of a Federal, State, Tribal, or
local fire department who is responsible for responding
to calls for emergency service.''.
(b) Technical Correction.--Effective as if included in the
enactment of the Children's Health Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-310),
the amendment instruction in section 1603 of such Act is amended by
striking ``Part B of the Public Health Service Act'' and inserting
``Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act''.
SEC. 4. HEALTH CARE PROVIDER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS.
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243
et seq.), as amended by section 3, is further amended by adding at the
end the following:
``SEC. 320D. HEALTH CARE PROVIDER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
PROGRAMS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to eligible
entities for the purpose of establishing or enhancing behavioral health
and wellness programs for health care providers.
``(b) Program Description.--A behavioral health and wellness
program funded under this section shall--
``(1) provide confidential support services for health care
providers to help handle stressful or traumatic patient-related
events, including counseling services and wellness seminars;
``(2) provide training to health care providers to serve as
peer counselors to other health care providers;
``(3) purchase materials to be used exclusively to provide
such training; and
``(4) disseminate such information and materials as are
necessary to conduct such training and provide such peer
counseling.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section, the term `eligible entity'
means a hospital, including a critical access hospital (as defined in
section 1861(mm)(1) of the Social Security Act) or a disproportionate
share hospital (as defined under section 1923(a)(1)(A) of such Act), a
Federally-qualified health center (as defined in section 1905(1)(2)(B)
of such Act), or any other health care facility.''.
SEC. 5. DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES FOR EDUCATING MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS ABOUT TREATING FIRE FIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL.
(a) In General.--The Administrator of the United States Fire
Administration, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, shall develop and make publicly available resources that may
be used by the Federal Government and other entities to educate mental
health professionals about--
(1) the culture of Federal, State, Tribal, and local
career, volunteer, and combination fire departments and
emergency medical services agencies;
(2) the different stressors experienced by firefighters and
emergency medical services personnel, supervisory firefighters
and emergency medical services personnel, and chief officers of
fire departments and emergency medical services agencies;
(3) challenges encountered by retired firefighters and
emergency medical services personnel; and
(4) evidence-based therapies for mental health issues
common to firefighters and emergency medical services personnel
within such departments and agencies.
(b) Consultation.--In developing resources under subsection (a),
the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration and the
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consult with national fire
and emergency medical services organizations.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``firefighter'' means any employee, regardless
of rank or whether the employee receives compensation, of a
Federal, State, Tribal, or local fire department who is
responsible for responding to calls for emergency service.
(2) The term ``emergency medical services personnel'' means
any employee, regardless of rank or whether the employee
receives compensation, as defined in section 1204(7) of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C.
10284(7)).
(3) The term ``chief officer'' means any individual who is
responsible for the overall operation of a fire department or
an emergency medical services agency, irrespective of whether
such individual also serves as a firefighter or emergency
medical services personnel.
SEC. 6. BEST PRACTICES AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR ADDRESSING POSTTRAUMATIC
STRESS DISORDER IN PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS.
(a) Development; Updates.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall--
(1) develop and assemble evidence-based best practices and
other resources to identify, prevent, and treat posttraumatic
stress disorder and co-occurring disorders in public safety
officers; and
(2) reassess and update, as the Secretary determines
necessary, such best practices and resources, including based
upon the options for interventions to reduce suicide among
public safety officers identified in the annual reports
required by section 317W(e)(1)(F) of the Public Health Service
Act, as added by section 2 of this Act.
(b) Consultation.--In developing, assembling, and updating the best
practices and resources under subsection (a), the Secretary of Health
and Human Services shall consult with, at a minimum, the following:
(1) Public health experts.
(2) Mental health experts with experience in studying
suicide and other profession-related traumatic stress.
(3) Clinicians with experience in diagnosing and treating
mental health issues.
(4) Relevant national police, fire, and emergency medical
services organizations.
(c) Availability.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
make the best practices and resources under subsection (a) available to
Federal, State, and local fire, law enforcement, and emergency medical
services agencies.
(d) Federal Training and Development Programs.--The Secretary of
Health and Human Services shall work with Federal departments and
agencies, including the United States Fire Administration, to
incorporate education and training on the best practices and resources
under subsection (a) into Federal training and development programs for
public safety officers.
(e) Definition.--In this section, the term ``public safety
officer'' means--
(1) a public safety officer as defined in section 1204 of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34
U.S.C. 10284); or
(2) a public safety telecommunicator as described in
detailed occupation 43-5031 in the Standard Occupational
Classification Manual of the Office of Management and Budget
(2018).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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