YourVoice.Now Summary
Workers & JobsNew federal grants would pay for mental health and peer-support programs for 911 dispatchers
Workers & Jobs
HHS would give grants to 911 call centers and dispatcher nonprofits to set up wellness and peer-counseling programs. The bill does not say how much money the grants would get.
HHS would post advice, based on research, on how to spot, prevent, and treat PTSD in dispatchers. It would also make training tools to help therapists understand the stress of dispatch work.
More about this bill
If you work as a 911 dispatcher, you could get new mental health help at work. The bill creates federal grants for 911 call centers and some nonprofits. They could use the money to start or grow wellness programs for dispatchers. They could also train dispatchers to serve as peer counselors for each other. The bill does not set a dollar amount for the grants. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would also post best practices for spotting, preventing, and treating PTSD in dispatchers. It would update them over time. HHS would also make public training materials for therapists. These would explain the stress of dispatch work, the culture of 911 centers, and the struggles of retired dispatchers. The law's term for dispatchers is "public safety telecommunicators." Most people outside 911 centers would see no direct change.
Congressional Summary
Providing Resources and Occupational Training for Emotional Crisis and Trauma in 911 Act or the PROTECT 911 Act This bill establishes a grant program, and requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop resources, for addressing mental health conditions among public safety telecommunicators. These include 9-1-1 operators and other public safety personnel who are responsible for responding to requests for emergency assistance. Specifically, HHS must award grants to state, local, and regional emergency communications centers or nonprofits for behavioral health and wellness programs to prevent and mitigate job-related mental health issues among public safety telecommunicators. Additionally, HHS must develop and disseminate (1) best practices for identifying, preventing, and treating post-traumatic stress disorder among public safety telecommunicators; and (2) resources for educating mental health professionals about workplace culture, stressors, and common mental health issues relating to public safety telecommunicators.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-04-17
- Date Added
- 2026-10-21
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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