U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) wants to create a national mental health hotline for police, firefighters, 911 operators and other first responders. It's part of a bill that aims to bolster mental health care services for these workers and their families.
She said first responders face higher rates of depression, substance use, and post-traumatic stress due to the daily challenges of their jobs, and civilian mental health providers don't always possess the expertise or "cultural competence" to provide the best care.
“The constant and cumulative exposure to painful, traumatic events coupled with long and erratic hours, can often be overwhelming and inflict invisible injuries that can be harmful and sometimes fatal,” Gillibrand said at a news conference.
A 2018 studyfound police and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
The hotline would offer peer-to-peer emotional support and connect callers to specialized mental health professionals.
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is co-sponsoring the bill.
"Our first responders put their lives on the line every day for us," Hawley said in a statement. "The least we can do is support them in the halls of Congress."
Over five years, the bill would invest $125 million in a grant program to provide mental health care services to first responders and $50 million in creating the hotline.
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