Bill Overview
Title: Supporting the Health and Safety of Law Enforcement Act of 2022
Description: This bill establishes a pilot program to promote coordination between community mental health centers and law enforcement agencies. Specifically, it directs the Department of Justice to award grants for community mental health centers to place social workers with law enforcement agencies. The purpose of the placement is to facilitate coordination on law enforcement cases with an underlying mental health component.
Sponsors: Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-10]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals involved in law enforcement or affected by mental health-related law enforcement actions
Estimated Size: 53000000
- The bill aims to support the mental health collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community mental health centers.
- Social workers will be placed with law enforcement to assist in cases with an underlying mental health component.
- This program directly impacts law enforcement agencies and personnel through enhanced resources for handling mental health-related cases.
- Individuals with mental health issues will be indirectly affected by receiving more suitable responses from law enforcement, potentially improving outcomes.
- The community at large may also see impacts from improved law enforcement mental health responses, leading to better overall safety and health outcomes.
Reasoning
- The policy implementation is constrained by budgetary allocations and a pilot nature limiting its immediate impact across all U.S. communities.
- Law enforcement officers, due to direct interaction with integrated social workers, represent a primary impacted group, enhancing their ability to manage mental health situations better.
- People with mental health issues, particularly those likely to interact with law enforcement, could experience improved outcomes.
- The policy may improve community-level perceptions of law enforcement due to better handling of mental health incidents.
- Some individuals will remain unimpacted due to geographic or logistical inaccessibility in the pilot phase.
Simulated Interviews
Police Officer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having social workers on our team could really help us handle mental health crises more effectively.
- I believe it will reduce confrontation and improve the safety of both officers and the community.
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 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Community Mental Health Worker (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This grant could help us reach more people by coordinating closely with the police.
- I expect we'll see a reduction in the criminalization of mental health issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Social Worker (New York, NY)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I look forward to bridging the gap between mental health services and law enforcement.
- This could significantly improve the situational response and provide better outcomes for those in crisis.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (Houston, TX)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this program reduces unnecessary arrests and improves how people are treated when the police are involved.
- I think it might improve community trust over time.
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 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
College Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It sounds like a good step towards treating mental health issues with more care in the legal system.
- I hope it gives officers better tools for de-escalation in mental health situations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Law Enforcement Trainer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 51 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Integrating social workers could make training more effective by providing real-time insights.
- It's crucial for improving officer decision-making in the field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Public Defender (Miami, FL)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might help reduce incarceration rates for people with mental health issues.
- Better inter-agency coordination is necessary for systemic change.
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 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Psychiatrist (Denver, CO)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Placing social workers with police might lead to better outcomes for my patients.
- It takes a community approach to truly address these issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Program Analyst (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could improve data collection on mental health calls and their outcomes.
- A proactive measure that could inform future policies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Graduate Student (Baltimore, MD)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I think the policy is in the right direction, it’s unlikely to affect me directly as a student.
- I'm hopeful about its potential to drive meaningful change in policing strategies.
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 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $31000000 (Low: $21000000, High: $41000000)
Year 3: $32000000 (Low: $22000000, High: $42000000)
Year 5: $35000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $45000000)
Year 10: $40000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $50000000)
Year 100: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Key Considerations
- The pilot program is limited in scope, affecting only selected law enforcement agencies and communities.
- Long-term success and expansion depend on measured outcomes and demonstrated efficiencies in case handling.
- Initial cost estimates may vary based on regional differences in pay and law enforcement practices.