SMART Community Policing Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8886
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-19: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-16T14:48:10Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation aims to strengthen community policing by funding programs that de-escalate encounters between law enforcement and individuals facing mental health crises, connect people to appropriate services, and improve outcomes for communities and officers through better use of treatment and support resources.
Key Provisions
- Creates three new authorized uses of funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program:
- Mobile crisis team programs: Allow hiring of mental health professionals and paramedics to respond to certain 911 calls or direct community requests, stabilize situations, secure mental health services, train officers, and use mobile units for responses.
- Co-responder programs: Pair trained law enforcement officers with behavioral health clinicians or paramedics to handle mental health crises, link individuals to services, and improve response efficiency; additional staff such as case managers may be hired.
- Case management and outreach teams: Provide follow-up support to connect individuals to mental health services and community resources, help them follow treatment plans, and reduce repeated emergency service use.
- These teams may operate independently or as part of the mobile crisis or co-responder programs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill amends Section 1701(b) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 by adding three new paragraphs (26, 27, and 28) to the list of permitted uses for COPS grants. It expands the scope of existing community policing funding to explicitly include mental health and behavioral health response innovations.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Local law enforcement agencies and public safety departments may receive additional grant funding to hire specialized staff and develop new response models, potentially shifting some responsibilities from traditional policing to collaborative teams.
- Citizens: Individuals experiencing mental health crises, substance use issues, homelessness, or poverty could receive earlier connections to treatment instead of solely law enforcement involvement.
- International relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Law enforcement officers and agencies.
- Mental health professionals, paramedics, and behavioral health clinicians.
- Community members, including those with mental illness or frequent emergency service needs.
- Local governments and service providers that administer or partner on these programs.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill operates within existing federal grant authority and does not create new mandates or alter constitutional rights directly. It emphasizes voluntary partnerships between law enforcement and health services, which may raise questions about coordination of care and data sharing under privacy laws, though these are not addressed in the text.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-19: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-05-19: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-19: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Supporting Mental Assistance Responder Teams Community Policing Act — issued 2026-05-19 — PDF (5 pages)