The LEMHWA passed both chambers unanimously and without
amendment and was signed by the President shortly thereafter. These actions
show that its purpose and intended effects are uncontroversial among
policymakers – law enforcement agencies need and deserve support in their
ongoing efforts to protect the mental health and well-being of their employees.
Congress took the important step in improving the delivery of and access to
mental health and wellness services that will help our nation’s more than
800,000 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers.
“Serving as a law enforcement officer requires courage,
strength, and dedication,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The demands
of this work, day in and day out, can take a toll on the health and well-being
of our officers, but the Department of Justice is committed to doing our part
to help. I want to thank the men and women of our COPS office for their hard
work to support our officers every day, and specifically for these thoughtful
and insightful reports, which detail both the challenges facing our officers
and some specific ways we can give them the support that they deserve.”
“The well-being of our communities depends on the well-being
of those whose job it is to protect them,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “We
will continue to support all programs which endeavor to support the health and
well-being of the brave men and women of law enforcement who risk both physical
and psychological harm on a daily basis.
I also urge New York State to join the 31 other states that have already
adopted Blue Alert plans.”
“A damaging national narrative has emerged in which law
enforcement officers – whether federal, state, local, or tribal – are seen not
as protectors of communities but as oppressors,” said COPS Office Director Phil
Keith. “In this environment, where an inherently stressful job is made more so
by a constant undercurrent of distrust and negative public opinion, the risks
to officer wellness are exacerbated. This report is an important measure and
reflection in our ongoing commitment to protect those who protect us.” Under
the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, the COPS Office was
required to submit reports to Congress that addressed:
(1) Recommendations
to Congress on effectiveness of crisis lines for law enforcement officers,
efficacy of annual mental health checks for law enforcement officers, expansion
of peer mentoring programs, and ensuring privacy considerations for these types
of programs;
(2) Mental health
practices and services in the U.S. Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans
Affairs (VA) that could be adopted by federal, state, local, or tribal law
enforcement agencies; and
(3) Case studies of
programs designed primarily to address officer psychological health and
well-being.
The first report, Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness
Act: Report to Congress, includes 22 recommendations to Congress ranging from
supporting programs to embed mental health professionals in law enforcement
agencies to supporting the development of model policies and implementation
guidance for law enforcement agencies to make substantial efforts to reduce
suicide.
The case studies report, Enforcement Mental Health and
Wellness Programs: Eleven Case Studies, is designed to provide an overview of
multiple successful and promising law enforcement mental health and wellness
strategies with the joint aims of informing Congress, state and local
government officials, and the law enforcement field. The report includes 11
case studies from a diverse group of sites across the United States.
The Department of Justice is pleased to respond to the
LEMHWA as officer safety, health, and wellness is a longstanding priority of
the agency. The reports released today address some of the most pressing issues
currently facing our law enforcement community.
The COPS Office has a near 25-year history of supporting the
efforts of state, local and tribal law enforcement, including the management of
the National Blue Alert Network. The agency awards grants to hire community
policing officers, develop and test innovative policing strategies, and provide
training and technical assistance to community members, local government
leaders, and all levels of law enforcement. Since 1994, the COPS Office has
invested more than $14 billion to help advance community policing.
