Bill Overview
Title: Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Law Enforcement Training Act
Description: This bill requires the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to consult with relevant agencies to establish crisis intervention training tools for first responders to address individuals with traumatic brain injuries, acquired brain injuries, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The BJA must ensure that at least one police department designated as a Law Enforcement Mental Health Learning Site utilizes the tools and that such tools are part of the Police-Mental Health Collaboration Toolkit. Additionally, the bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study and report about the prevalence and incidence of concussions among first responders.
Sponsors: Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals with traumatic brain injuries, acquired brain injuries, and post-traumatic stress disorder and first responders
Estimated Size: 15000000
- The bill targets training for first responders, especially law enforcement, in handling individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), acquired brain injuries (ABIs), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Individuals with TBIs, both from accidents or other factors like sports injuries, and ABIs are directly considered by this bill through proposed law enforcement training.
- Individuals with PTSD, including veterans and victims of trauma, are also targeted by this bill.
- First responders themselves, such as police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, are part of the training, and therefore their professional practices are affected, particularly with the reported study on the incidence of concussions among them.
- The general community is indirectly impacted through the potentially improved handling of incidents involving affected individuals by better-trained first responders.
Reasoning
- The policy specifically targets first responders and individuals they interact with who have TBIs, ABIs, or PTSD.
- Approximately 11-20% of veterans experiencing PTSD in a given year may indirectly benefit from this policy due to enhanced law enforcement techniques.
- First responders, numbering in the millions in the U.S., directly interact with the new training, which could improve handling of incidents involving affected individuals.
- The training is likely to influence both immediate safety outcomes and long-term wellbeing, potentially leading to fewer traumatic encounters and a more supportive legal and emergency framework for affected individuals.
- Given the training's focus, the policy's impact may be most felt in urban or high-incident areas where first responder interactions are more frequent.
Simulated Interviews
Police Officer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this training will build better relationships with the community and improve our ability to manage crises without resorting to force.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Firefighter (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope the study on concussions will bring much-needed attention to our occupational hazards.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Veteran (Montana)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm cautiously optimistic but don't deal directly with law enforcement often.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired teacher (Miami, FL)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this leads to less confusion and more understanding when I interact with emergency services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Emergency Room Nurse (New York, NY)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better-trained first responders could ease the burden on emergency rooms, leading to better patient outcomes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Police Chief (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Implementing these tools can be costly but improve officer safety and community trust over time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 9 |
Paramedic (Seattle, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increasing awareness of PTSD among first responders is crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Civil Rights Advocate (Houston, TX)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this will lead to more just outcomes during police interactions with vulnerable populations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Student (San Diego, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could make campuses safer and help in reducing stigma.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Social Worker (Austin, TX)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This training could bridge gaps in understanding between patients and police.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $45000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $55000000)
Year 3: $45000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $55000000)
Year 5: $40000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $50000000)
Year 10: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 100: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Key Considerations
- The scope of training and its integration into the Police-Mental Health Collaboration Toolkit.
- The selection criteria and number of law enforcement agencies being used as learning sites.
- The comprehensiveness and cost of the CDC's studies on first responder concussions.