First responders get mental health support system, suicide data tracking

What it does

This bill creates a national data system to track suicide among public safety officers (police, firefighters, EMTs, 911 dispatchers), requires annual reporting to Congress, and funds peer-support and mental health programs within fire departments, EMS agencies, and hospitals. It also directs the federal government to develop training resources for mental health professionals on treating first responders and to assemble evidence-based best practices for preventing and treating PTSD in public safety workers.

Why we flagged it

The bill's operative mechanism is the creation of a national suicide data system, grant programs for peer-support and wellness initiatives, and development of training resources—all aimed at addressing documented mental health crises in public safety professions. It is straightforward public health legislation with no hidden deregulation, tax carve-outs, or private immunity provisions.

What the text implies

• The data system may reveal disparities in suicide rates by state, occupation, and volunteer vs. career status—potentially exposing systemic gaps in mental health support that could drive future funding demands or policy changes.
• Peer-support programs funded under the bill may shift some mental health burden from licensed clinicians to volunteer/peer counselors, which could improve access but may also create liability or quality-control questions if not properly supervised.
• The prohibition on using suicide data to deny insurance benefits protects survivors but may create tension with actuarial practices in life insurance underwriting—insurers may seek legislative carve-outs or challenge the provision's scope.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill creates public health infrastructure (data system, training, peer support) aimed at reducing suicide and mental health crises among public safety officers—a documented public health problem. It protects survivors from insurance denial and funds evidence-based interventions. No provisions restrict citizen rights, impose costs on the public, or create private monopolies; the bill is structured as grants to nonprofits and public agencies.

Who stands to gain

• nonprofit organizations with fire/EMS expertise (grant recipients)
• hospitals and federally-qualified health centers (grant recipients for behavioral health programs)
• mental health training and consulting firms (potential contractors for resource development)

Named in the bill

Secretary of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Violent Death Reporting System, United States Fire Administration, Public Health Service Act, Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, fire departments, emergency medical services agencies, hospitals, federally-qualified health centers

Where it stands

36 cosponsors: 32 Democrats, 4 Republicans.

• Mar 6, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Mar 6, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and…”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

6 lobbying clients named this bill on 9 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $999,669 in lobbying spend. A filing names 45 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 82% of bills with at least one filing.

Ami Bera, the sponsor, reported $683,243 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• American Psychiatric Association — $529,365 on 2 filings
• International Association of Fire Fighters — $380,304 on 2 filings
• International Union of Police Associations AFL-CIO — $40,000 on 2 filings
• Congressional Fire Services Institute — $20,000 on 1 filing
• National Alliance on Mental Illness — $20,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.