House passes HERO Act to track first responder suicide rates

Abstract

The U.S. House of Representatives passed on June 22 the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome (HERO) Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Representatives Ami Bera, M.D., D‐Calif., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R‐Pa., that would provide critical mental health resources to our nation's first responders and health care providers, Homeland Security Today reported on June 30. The HERO Act was included in passage of the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well‐Being Act. The HERO Act directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report to Congress each year on first‐responder suicide rates, including identifying risk factors, possible interventions and recommended interventions for further study. It also requires HHS to develop and distribute best practices on the prevention and treatment of post‐traumatic stress disorder among first responders. The bill also creates a grant program to train individual fire fighters and paramedics to provide mental health support to their peers in their organizations. Another grant would train health care providers to serve a similar role in their hospitals and practices. Several groups have supported the bill, including the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, the American Association of Suicidology, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance.