Bill > S1731

This bill, the Safe Interactions Act of 2023, seeks to provide grants to enable nonprofit disability organizations to develop training programs that support safe interactions between law enforcement officers and individuals with disabilities and older individuals. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award competitive grants to nonprofit disability organizations to administer enhanced training programs for law enforcement officers on how to interact with, identify, approach, and communicate with individuals with disabilities and older individuals. 2. Requiring the training programs to include topics such as awareness and education about different types of disabilities, escalation avoidance and de-escalation techniques, and communication strategies, with a focus on interactive learning and the use of instructors who are individuals with disabilities. 3. Establishing an advisory council for each grant recipient, with a majority of members being individuals with disabilities or their family members, to provide guidance and recommendations on the development and implementation of the training programs. 4. Authorizing $100 million per year from 2023 to 2026 to carry out the grant program and requiring the Secretary to conduct an independent evaluation of the program's effectiveness.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1731/all-info