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Mental Health Emergency Responder Act
To establish a grant program to assist eligible entities in developing or expanding behavioral health crisis response programs that do not rely primarily on law enforcement, and for other purposes.
Summary
The bill establishes a federal grant program through the Department of Health and Human Services to help eligible entities such as local governments, emergency medical services agencies, community behavioral health clinics, and nonprofits develop or expand behavioral health crisis response programs that do not rely primarily on law enforcement. Grant funds can be used to recruit and train behavioral health professionals, integrate response teams into 911 or 988 dispatch systems, provide community education about alternatives to police-led responses, and establish clinician-led mobile crisis teams or emergency medical services as primary responders to mental health emergencies where permitted by state law. The bill requires grant recipients to report annually on response outcomes, diversion rates, and community feedback, and gives priority consideration to jurisdictions that do not currently have non-law enforcement crisis response programs. The bill clarifies that it does not require states to change their emergency detention or custody laws and does not authorize involuntary detention beyond what state law permits. Funding is authorized through fiscal year 2030.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
10 cosponsors
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC)
- Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2] (D-LA)
- Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9] (D-NY)
- Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29] (D-TX)
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY)
- Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6] (D-OR)
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI)
- Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] (D-MS)
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI)
- Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Yassamin Ansari’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- PIVOTAL GROUP $15,750
- WINKLEVOSS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT $13,200
- BIJAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT $13,200
- HOME CREATIONS $11,700
- RELIANCE MANAGEMENT $11,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Yassamin Ansari → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Oct 8, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. · house
- Oct 8, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 8, 2025
Ms. Ansari (for herself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Goldman of New York, Ms. Norton, Ms. Salinas, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, and Ms. Tlaib) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To establish a grant program to assist eligible entities in developing or expanding behavioral health crisis response programs that do not rely primarily on law enforcement, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Mental Health Emergency Responder Act”.
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO EXPAND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE.
(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, shall establish a competitive grant program (in this section referred to as the “program”) to assist eligible entities in developing or expanding behavioral health crisis response programs that do not rely primarily on law enforcement.
(b) Eligible Entities.—The following entities shall be eligible to receive grants under the program—
(1) a local or Tribal government;
(2) a regional emergency medical services agency or fire department;
(3) a certified community behavioral health clinic, as defined by section 1905(jj) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(jj)); and
(4) a nonprofit organization in partnership with a local government or health authority.
(c) Use of Grant Funds.—Grant funds received by an eligible entity under the program may be used—
(1) to recruit, train, and equip behavioral health professionals and paramedics for a behavioral health crisis response;
(2) to integrate co-response teams into 911 or 988 call dispatch systems;
(3) to provide community education and outreach regarding alternatives to police-led crisis response;
(4) to develop or implement protocols to enable emergency medical services agencies to accept custody of civilians from police for transport to mental health facilities, if permitted under State law; and
(5) to establish emergency medical services agencies, or clinician-led mobile crisis teams, as the primary responders to behavioral health emergencies in lieu of law enforcement, in a manner consistent with State and local laws.
(d) Limitation on Statutory Construction.—Nothing in this section shall be construed—
(1) to require any State or local government to modify an emergency detention or custody law; or
(2) to authorize any entity to engage in emergency detention or involuntary transport beyond what is permitted under an applicable State law.
(e) Reporting Requirement.—The Secretary shall require each recipient of a grant under the program to submit to the Secretary, during such period of time as the Secretary determines appropriate, an annual report detailing response outcomes, diversion rates, and community feedback.
(f) Priority Consideration.—In awarding grants under the program, the Secretary shall prioritize applications from eligible entities located in jurisdictions that do not currently operate a non-law enforcement behavioral health crisis response program, or whose existing programs are limited in scope or capacity.
(g) Co-Response Team Defined.—In this section, the term “co- response team” means a team that includes at least one behavioral health professional (such as a licensed clinician or social worker) and at least one emergency medical services provider, firefighter, or peace officer who jointly respond to behavioral health crisis calls in real time.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030. <all>
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