# Understanding the DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act

This bill creates a new mental health program specifically designed to help law enforcement officers and agents working for the Department of Homeland Security. The program addresses a serious problem: suicide rates among federal law enforcement are significantly higher than the general population, and many officers struggle to seek help due to workplace stigma and fear of career consequences.

The bill establishes what's called the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program, which will be run through the department's Chief Medical Officer's office. This program will collect data on mental health issues and suicides among DHS law enforcement to understand the scope of the problem better. It will also research what works in other agencies and organizations, evaluate existing mental health programs within DHS, and promote training on suicide prevention and mental resilience. A key part of the program is creating a Peer-to-Peer Support Advisory Council—essentially a team of trained officers and mental health professionals from different DHS agencies who can support each other and share best practices across the department.

The bill requires each DHS law enforcement agency to improve their mental health programs in specific ways. They must provide multiple ways for officers to seek help, including anonymous options and outside counselors, and they must actively work to reduce the stigma around getting mental health support. Importantly, the bill includes protections so that officers who seek counseling won't automatically face fitness-for-duty exams or other career penalties just for asking for help. All DHS law enforcement officers must receive suicide awareness and resilience training when they start, annually during their employment, when they move into supervisory roles, and ideally before they leave the department. The program will also extend support to officers' families, recognizing that mental health challenges affect entire households.

To ensure the program actually works, the bill requires annual confidential surveys of officers to measure whether mental health programs are effective and making a real difference. All personal information collected will be kept confidential and protected under federal privacy laws. The department must report back to Congress annually through 2027 on how the program is progressing, ensuring there's ongoing accountability for helping DHS law enforcement officers stay mentally healthy and safe.

DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act

Thompson, Bennie G.

DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program and establishes additional requirements for related existing programs. Among other activities, the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program shall <ul> <li>conduct data collection and research on mental health, suicides, and attempted suicides of DHS law enforcement officers and agents;</li> <li>evaluate current mental health and resiliency programs within DHS components;</li> <li>promote education and training related to mental health, resilience, suicide prevention, stigma, and mental health resources;</li> <li>establish a Peer-to-Peer Support Program Advisory Council; and</li> <li>assist DHS components in developing a program to provide suicide prevention and resiliency support and training for families of DHS law enforcement officers and agents and for surviving families of officers and agents who have been lost to suicide.</li> </ul> The bill requires DHS components to prioritize and improve their mental health and wellness programs. The DHS Workplace Health and Wellness Program must assess the effectiveness of DHS law enforcement health and wellness programs. Each DHS component must report to the program incidents of suicide involving law enforcement officers or agents. The bill sets forth confidentiality limitations on the publication and collection of personally identifiable information.