0
Community-Based Response Act of 2021
12/30/2022, 5:47 PM
Summary of Bill HR 3862
Under the bill, eligible organizations would receive funding to establish programs that would dispatch mental health professionals, social workers, or other trained individuals to respond to non-violent incidents instead of law enforcement officers. These alternative response teams would be equipped to provide de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention, and connections to appropriate services for individuals in need.
The bill also includes provisions for training law enforcement officers on how to recognize and appropriately respond to mental health crises, as well as requirements for data collection and reporting on the outcomes of these alternative response programs. Overall, the Community-Based Response Act of 2021 seeks to promote more effective and compassionate responses to non-violent situations, reduce the reliance on law enforcement in these instances, and improve outcomes for individuals in crisis.
Congressional Summary of HR 3862
Community-Based Response Act of 2021
This bill establishes a program to assist communities with implementing alternative emergency response models in vulnerable populations to resolve crisis situations that may not require a law enforcement response or situations in which a law enforcement response may increase the risk of harm.
Specifically, Administration for Community Living, in consultation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice, must award grants to eligible partnerships to establish or expand these models. The partnerships must consist of a unit of local or tribal government that is independent of law enforcement agencies and a nonprofit, community-based organization or consortium of such organizations. The partnerships may also include other entities, such as nonprofit or public institutions of higher education and behavioral health organizations.
A partnership may use grant funds for a variety of purposes, such as triaging 9-1-1 calls to refer certain emergencies to entities other than law enforcement. In awarding these grants, the administration must prioritize partnerships that include community-based organizations that have a record of effectively serving, and are led by members of, vulnerable populations.
