Bill Overview
Title: Supporting Innovation in Public Safety Act
Description: This bill directs the Department of Justice to award competitive grants to at least 100 state, local, and tribal governments and nonprofit organizations to perform demonstration projects that support programs and policies to improve public safety, including those that improve mental health crisis response.
Sponsors: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Target Audience
Population: People in communities targeted by public safety and mental health crisis response initiatives in the US
Estimated Size: 20000000
- The bill aims to improve public safety and mental health crisis response across the United States.
- It is intended to benefit individuals in communities where state, local, and tribal governments or nonprofit organizations participate.
- These demonstration projects often focus on populations with the highest need, such as those with poor access to mental health services.
Reasoning
- The policy targets approximately 20 million people in communities selected for public safety and mental health initiative grants.
- This is a significant portion of the population since the projects are distributed across at least 100 jurisdictions, suggesting deep local penetration.
- The limited budget necessitates efficient use of funds, focusing on high-impact areas and possibly limiting long-term immediate effects.
- People not directly living in targeted jurisdictions may be unaffected, hence the variety in interview responses reflects direct and indirect impact scenarios.
- Given the broad declination of projects across diverse regions, individuals from different socio-economic and geographic backgrounds are likely included.
Simulated Interviews
Elementary School Teacher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I really believe this could help reduce crime and make our area safer.
- Mental health crises are a big issue here; any help is good help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Software Developer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I doubt this policy will affect me much, I feel safe already.
- I support it if it helps others who need it more.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Retired Nurse (Tulsa, OK)
Age: 67 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've seen first-hand the gaps in services, more funding would definitely help.
- I'm cautiously optimistic, as long as the funds are used wisely.
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 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Police Officer (Charlotte, NC)
Age: 36 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our department desperately needs this; it could really improve our response capabilities.
- It's worth trying something new if it can prevent situations from escalating.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
College Student (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 23 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy brings more support just like our hotline does.
- It's great to see mental health being prioritized in public safety.
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 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Local Government Official (Bismarck, ND)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This initiative aligns with several proposals I've supported in our town.
- We must implement it correctly to maximize benefits.
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 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Social Worker (New Orleans, LA)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our clients need more support; otherwise we're just putting out fires.
- This could be a game-changer if we receive a grant.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Business Owner (Miami, FL)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reducing crime is good for business, but I'm not sure about the mental health part yet.
- The economy will improve if public safety improves.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Farmer (Rural Montana)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel ignored; this program needs to reach rural areas too.
- Improvement in crisis response would be a relief for us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Mental Health Advocate (Seattle, WA)
Age: 43 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 9.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our city needs innovation in public safety and mental health.
- I hope this means real changes, not just temporary fixes.
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 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 2: $102000000 (Low: $82000000, High: $122000000)
Year 3: $104000000 (Low: $84000000, High: $124000000)
Year 5: $110000000 (Low: $90000000, High: $130000000)
Year 10: $120000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $140000000)
Year 100: $150000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $180000000)
Key Considerations
- The effectiveness of demonstration projects in achieving their public safety and mental health improvement goals significantly influences their overall impact.
- Monitoring and evaluation will be critical to ensure funds are used effectively.
- Coordination with existing public safety and mental health services will be essential.