SMART Community Policing Act

Key Points

• The bill expands federal COPS grant funding so local police departments can hire mental health professionals and paramedics to respond to 911 calls involving mental health crises, homelessness, poverty, or substance use instead of relying solely on police officers.
• The bill creates co-responder programs that pair a trained police officer with a behavioral health clinician or paramedic to de-escalate mental health crises and connect people with mental health services instead of defaulting to arrest.
• The bill also funds case management and outreach teams that follow up with individuals after a crisis to help them stick with treatment plans, find work or school, and reduce repeat emergency service calls.
• The overall goal is to produce better outcomes for both communities and law enforcement officers by getting people in crisis the appropriate care and support they actually need.