911 Community Crisis Responders Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 3658

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2026-03-25T08:05:44Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The "911 Community Crisis Responders Act of 2025" (H.R. 3658) aims to improve responses to nonviolent emergencies involving mental health, substance use, homelessness, or similar issues by funding unarmed mobile crisis teams. These teams would handle certain 911 calls instead of police, promoting de-escalation, culturally sensitive care, and connections to community services to reduce reliance on law enforcement or emergency rooms.

Key Provisions

• Grant Authorization: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, can award grants to states, territories, counties (or similar local governments), Tribal governments, and groups of Tribal governments to create unarmed mobile crisis response programs.
• Program Requirements:
• Teams must send at least two unarmed professionals (e.g., social workers, nurses, counselors, or peer support specialists trained in mental health or substance use crises) to respond quickly to nonviolent 911 calls.
• Services include screening, assessment, calming situations (de-escalation), trauma-informed and culturally appropriate care, referrals to treatment, and transport to needed services.
• Programs must coordinate with health, housing, or social services when required, operate independently from law enforcement oversight, and define which calls (e.g., those involving mental illness, addiction, or public intoxication without violence) go to the team first.
• Allowed Uses of Grant Funds:
• Hiring crisis responders and 911 call handlers (telecommunicators).
• Training responders and call handlers on recognizing and addressing mental illnesses, disabilities, substance use disorders, including de-escalation techniques and linking people to local resources like culturally competent providers.
• Upgrading 911 systems to sort (triage) calls between crisis teams and police.
• Developing training for 911 operators on de-escalation and call handling.
• Linking with 988 suicide and crisis lifelines for dispatching teams.
• Expanding coordination with local social services, health providers, and community groups; offering services in multiple languages and cultural contexts.
• Gathering data for reporting.
• Application and Reporting:
• Applicants must submit plans, including how 911 operators will identify suitable calls.
• Grant recipients report every six months to HHS on diverted calls, demographics of people served (e.g., by race, age, disability, housing status), program effects (e.g., reduced emergency room visits or police involvement), response details (e.g., time to arrive, services provided), and costs.
• HHS submits summary reports to Congress every six months.
• Flexibility and Definitions:
• Full grants require meeting all program rules; partial grants are possible otherwise.
• Key terms: "Nonviolent emergency call" covers 911 calls about mental health, homelessness, addiction, etc., without clear violence; "alternative destination" means non-hospital/jail sites like clinics or crisis centers; "unarmed professional service provider" refers to trained non-firearm-carrying experts in crises.
• Nondiscrimination: Programs funded by these grants cannot exclude or discriminate against people based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), or disability.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act (specifically Part D of Title V) by adding a new section (554) that creates a dedicated federal grant program for unarmed crisis response. Previously, no such nationwide funding mechanism existed for diverting nonviolent 911 calls from law enforcement to specialized mental health teams, though some local programs operate voluntarily. It builds on existing systems like 911 and 988 but introduces federal support for triage and independent crisis teams.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: HHS gains responsibility for administering grants and compiling reports, potentially increasing its role in mental health policy. Local and Tribal governments could see reduced strain on police and emergency services, allowing reallocation of resources. 911 centers may need updates, improving efficiency but requiring initial investment.
• On Citizens: Individuals facing mental health, substance use, or related crises could receive faster, less intimidating help, potentially lowering trauma from police encounters, emergency room overuse, and hospitalizations. Vulnerable groups (e.g., those with disabilities or homelessness) may benefit from tailored, community-based care.
• On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. public health and emergency response.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Recipients and Implementers: States, territories, local governments (e.g., counties), Tribal governments, and their consortia, who apply for and run the programs.
• Service Providers: Unarmed professionals like social workers, counselors, EMTs, and peer specialists; 911 telecommunicators; and community organizations offering health, housing, or social services.
• Individuals Served: People experiencing nonviolent crises related to mental illness, substance use disorders, intellectual/developmental disabilities, homelessness, or public intoxication, including diverse groups tracked by demographics.
• Federal Oversight: HHS and Congress, through grant administration and reporting requirements.
• Law Enforcement and Health Systems: Police agencies (reduced involvement in certain calls) and hospitals/ambulance services (potentially fewer mental health-related visits).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Establishes a new federal funding stream under public health law, emphasizing independence from law enforcement to avoid conflicts of interest. The nondiscrimination clause aligns with federal civil rights laws (e.g., Title VI of the Civil Rights Act), requiring equitable access and data collection to monitor biases.
• Constitutional: Supports First Amendment protections by promoting non-punitive responses to issues like homelessness or truancy; reinforces equal protection under the 14th Amendment through demographic reporting and cultural competence mandates, potentially addressing disparities in crisis care.
• Political: Advances broader discussions on police reform and mental health investment, especially following high-profile incidents of force in crises. It encourages state and local innovation while tying funding to accountability (e.g., reports), which could influence future budgets or expansions of 988/911 integration. No overt partisan elements, but it may appeal to bipartisan interests in public safety and cost savings.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]

Cosponsors (9)

Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]

Recent Actions

• 2025-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2025-05-29: Introduced in House
• 2025-05-29: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• 911 Community Crisis Responders Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-29 — PDF (8 pages)