The Supporting the Health and Safety of Law Enforcement Act of 2023 creates a pilot program to place licensed social workers from community mental health centers directly with small police departments to help handle calls and situations involving mental health issues. The Attorney General would establish the program within six months and award up to 4 grants per year in each of the four U.S. census regions, with each grant capped at $300,000 over a three-year period, but only to law enforcement agencies with 100 or fewer officers. The program targets situations where law enforcement encounters underlying mental health problems and aims to improve coordination between police and mental health professionals. Congress would authorize $2.5 million in funding for fiscal years 2024 through 2026, and the pilot program would automatically expire three years after the first grant is awarded, with the Attorney General required to report to Congress on outcomes and the number of cases social workers handled.
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