DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2645
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-08-01: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2025-09-18T20:23:42Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act (S. 2645) aims to create a structured program within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to support the mental health and overall well-being of law enforcement personnel. It focuses on preventing suicides, building resilience, reducing stigma around seeking help, and providing resources like training and peer support, while ensuring privacy protections.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of the Program: Creates the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program within DHS, overseen by the Chief Medical Officer. The program will develop policies, collect data on mental health and suicides (while protecting privacy under laws like the Privacy Act), track best practices from other organizations, evaluate existing programs, and promote education and training on mental health, resilience, and suicide prevention.
- Peer Support and Partnerships: Forms a Peer-to-Peer Support Program Advisory Council with representatives from DHS components (e.g., U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to assess peer support, share best practices, and build networks. It also requires partnerships with faith-based, community-based, and social service organizations for additional support.
- Family and Training Support: Assists in creating programs for families of law enforcement officers, including those affected by suicides. Mandates in-person or interactive virtual training on suicide awareness and resilience for officers, supervisors, and others, available at key career stages (e.g., onboarding, annually, and upon promotion).
- Component Responsibilities: DHS component heads must prioritize mental health resources, reduce barriers to seeking help (e.g., revising policies that deter assistance), ensure anonymity in counseling options, and protect employees from retaliation for seeking mental health support—except in cases involving job fitness or security clearances.
- Data and Evaluation: Requires annual confidential surveys of personnel to measure program effectiveness, incident reporting on suicides (shared with a national data collection effort), and recommendations for improvements. All data handling emphasizes confidentiality and limits use to program purposes.
- Implementation Timeline: The Chief Medical Officer must issue a directive outlining roles within 180 days of enactment and provide annual briefings to congressional committees through fiscal year 2027. Participation in surveys or programs is voluntary, and services can extend to any DHS employee.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Title VII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 by adding a new section (710A) dedicated to suicide prevention and resiliency for law enforcement. This introduces mandatory coordination, data collection standards, and program staffing not previously specified.
- Builds on existing laws like the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act (2020) by integrating DHS-specific reporting and evaluations, while reinforcing privacy rules from the Privacy Act and Rehabilitation Act to prevent misuse of personal information.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: DHS components will need to allocate resources for training, staffing (e.g., coordinators and peer supporters), and program evaluations, potentially improving retention and performance among law enforcement personnel. It may increase administrative workload initially but foster a healthier workforce long-term.
- On Citizens: Primarily benefits DHS law enforcement officers and their families through better access to mental health support, which could indirectly enhance public safety by reducing officer stress and suicides. No direct impact on the general public or international relations.
- Broader Effects: Could set a model for other federal agencies, promoting a cultural shift toward mental health awareness in high-stress professions.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- DHS Law Enforcement Personnel: Agents and officers in components like Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Coast Guard, Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration, who gain access to training, peer support, and confidential resources.
- Families: Including surviving families of officers who died by suicide, through targeted support and awareness programs.
- DHS Leadership and Staff: Chief Medical Officer, Workplace Health and Wellness Coordinator, component heads, and peer support teams, who must implement and manage the program.
- External Partners: Faith-based and community organizations providing counseling services.
- Congressional Committees: Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Senate) and Homeland Security (House), receiving regular briefings.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens privacy protections by prohibiting the use of personal data for non-program purposes and barring compelled participation, aligning with constitutional rights to privacy and due process. Includes safeguards against employment discrimination for seeking help, potentially reducing legal challenges related to workplace retaliation.
- Constitutional: Emphasizes voluntary involvement, respecting First Amendment freedoms (e.g., no forced disclosure) and Fifth/Fourteenth Amendment protections against self-incrimination or unfair treatment.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (by Senators Peters and Hawley) highlights cross-party consensus on officer wellness. It could influence future legislation on federal employee mental health, addressing a recognized public safety issue without mandating new funding (subject to appropriations), which may ease passage but limit scope if underfunded.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-08-01: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2025-08-01: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act — issued 2025-08-01 — PDF (15 pages)