Bill > H2264

This bill establishes the Equitable Approaches to Public Health grant program, administered by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, to increase the availability of non-law-enforcement, unarmed community-based response options for emergency calls. The program will provide competitive grants to eligible partnerships of local government entities and community-based organizations to develop local systems for protecting mental and physical well-being, preventing violence, de-escalating volatile situations, ensuring access to human services, and reducing government use of force in emergency and non-emergency situations. The bill also requires an independent evaluation of the program's impact on outcomes such as emergency room visits, use of ambulatory services, hospitalizations, and the involvement of law enforcement in mental health or substance use disorder crisis events. Additionally, grant recipients must submit annual reports detailing the use of funds, outcomes, and other relevant data.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H2264