Bill > HR3550

This bill, the Safe Interactions Act of 2023, aims 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 and cognitive impairments, escalation avoidance and de-escalation techniques, and communication strategies, with a focus on interactive learning taught by individuals with disabilities. 3. Allowing grant funds to be used for expanding existing training programs, reimbursing staff for travel, developing training models, and supporting the paid participation of individuals with disabilities and their family members as advisors. 4. Establishing an advisory council for each grant recipient, with a majority representation from racial and ethnic minority communities, to provide oversight and recommendations for the sustainability and expansion of the training programs. 5. Mandating annual reporting to the Secretary and Congress on the outcomes and effectiveness of the grant program, including the number of individuals trained and the impact on the communities served. The overarching goal of the bill is to increase the awareness, knowledge, and understanding of law enforcement officers about individuals with disabilities and older individuals, reduce incidents of violence, and improve the safety and well-being of these communities during interactions with law enforcement.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3550/all-info