Washington, D.C - Today, Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02), alongside Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01, Becca Balint (VT-AL), and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) introduced the Crisis Assistance and Resources in Emergencies (CARE) for First Responders Act, bipartisan legislation to provide specialized mental health, substance abuse, and crisis counseling services to first responders including law enforcement, firefighters, emergency response workers, and 9-1-1 operators.
In the United States, there are roughly 4.6 million first responders serving in law enforcement, fire and rescue services, emergency management, and public works. First responders are usually the first on the scene to face challenging, dangerous, and draining situations. They are also among the first to reach out to disaster survivors and provide them with emotional and physical support. These duties, although essential to the entire community, are strenuous for first responders and with time put them at an increased risk of experiencing mental health issues.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 30 percent of first responders develop behavioral health conditions including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, as compared with 20 percent of the general population. Data from the National Violent Death Reporting System indicates that first responders made up 1 percent of all suicides from 2015 to 2017. When broken down by disciple, these first responder suicides occurred among law enforcement (58 percent), firefighters (21 percent), emergency medical services providers (18 percent), and public safety telecommunicators (2 percent).
Unfortunately, there are a limited number of services and resources available specifically to address the mental health conditions of first responders. Often, first responders are directed to general mental health practitioners and counselors who may not understand the unique demands faced by first responders or the cultures in which they operate.
The CARE for First Responders Act addresses this gap by:
•Ensuring first responders of major disasters, including emergency response workers and public safety telecommunicators, are eligible to receive professional counseling and other mental health services offered through the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s Crisis Assistance and Training Program;
•Establishing a grant program to support on-site and mobile delivery of mental health and substance use disorder services for first responders of major disasters;
•Establishing a 24-hour hotline within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline program to promote access to specialized services for first responders;
•Creating a peer support counseling program within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to assist and conduct outreach to first responders and their families;
•Requiring HHS to conduct research, in consultation with other federal agencies, on best practices for providing mental health services to, and preventing suicide among, first responders.
“Every day, brave men and women, our first responders, answer the call when we need them most. In the wake of the devastating fires on Maui and Hawaii Island, they played essential roles in evacuating homes and providing survivors with physical and emotional support. Yet, despite their essential work, first responders often face their own barriers with seeking help and accessing mental health services as they deal with their own trauma as a result of what they see and experience,” said Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02). “As disaster strikes across our country, we must do better to support these real-life heroes. That is why I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will ensure we take “CARE”of the mental health needs of our first responders.”
"First responders are the heroes in our communities who bravely respond to emergencies," said Congressman Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. "It is imperative that we provide these public servants with the needed support and access to resources for mental health and substance use disorder challenges, and this bipartisan bill will do just that."
“When I talk to first responders across Vermont, it’s clear that they are facing mental health challenges as a result of their work on the frontlines responding to climate disasters,” said Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL).
“I’m proud to join Rep. Tokuda in getting our emergency personnel, firefighters, 911 dispatchers, and law enforcement the specialized mental health services they need and deserve after all they do to protect us.”
“First responders, medical personnel, and wildland firefighters carry an incredibly heavy burden. I am a co-lead of the bipartisan CARE for First Responders Act to hopefully relieve some of that burden and let our first responders know that their work is not unnoticed or unappreciated,” said Congressman LaMalfa.
“First responders” covered by this legislation include Federal, State, and local governmental and nongovernmental emergency public safety, fire, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical, and related personnel, agencies, and authorities, along with public safety telecommunicators (such as 911 operators and fire dispatchers).
The CARE for First Responders Act is endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
“Firefighters, EMS professionals, police officers, and 911 dispatchers get our communities through any emergency. But all too often, responding to trauma causes trauma. Our first responders shouldn’t have to deal with the stress of the job all by themselves. The CARE for First Responders Act will provide funding for critical mental health services and benefits to these essential workers, including a crisis hotline and counseling. We urge Congress to pass this bipartisan legislation from Reps. Jill Tokuda and Brian Fitzpatrick,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.
“It is critical that we support the mental health of our nation’s first responders, particularly after times of disaster,” said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “NAMI proudly supports the Crisis Assistance and Resources in Emergencies (CARE) for First Responders Act and thanks Rep. Tokuda for bringing attention to this critical issue.”
The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Eleanor Holmes-Norton (DC-AL), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), and Norma Torres (CA-35).
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