New Law Enforcement Grant Program Allocates $10 Million for Mandatory Mental Health Crisis Training

This bill, the Law Enforcement Training for Mental Health Crisis Response Act of 2025, sets up a new federal grant program that earmarks up to $10 million to train police and corrections officers across the country. The goal is straightforward: fund specialized training so officers are better equipped to handle mental health and substance abuse crises safely. This isn’t just about adding a module to basic training; the money is specifically for programs developed with input from healthcare experts and people who have actually experienced mental illness, focusing heavily on de-escalation skills.

Why This Training Matters to Everyone

The findings section of the bill makes it clear why this is necessary: about one in ten police calls involves someone having a mental health crisis, and tragically, one in four people killed by police are dealing with a mental health issue. For the average person, this bill aims to reduce the risk of a high-stakes encounter turning violent when a loved one is in crisis. For example, if a family calls 911 because a relative with schizophrenia is experiencing a breakdown, the bill intends for the responding officer to have the training to de-escalate the situation safely, rather than resorting to force.

The $10 Million Lifeline for Local Agencies

Section 3 authorizes the Attorney General to manage this new grant program, pulling up to $10,000,000 from existing crime control funds. State, local, and Tribal law enforcement and corrections agencies can apply for this money to cover the cost of specialized training, including travel and lodging for officers. There’s a catch, though: agencies must prove this federal money will add to their current training budget—they can’t just use it to replace existing local funds. This is a crucial detail (Section 3) designed to ensure the federal funds genuinely increase the amount of training being offered, rather than just subsidizing existing costs.

What Agencies Must Prove to Get the Money

Agencies applying for the grant have to provide some serious data. They must detail their current training levels and, perhaps most strikingly, report how many officers or civilians have been seriously hurt or killed responding to a behavioral health crisis in the last five years. This data requirement (Section 3) is key because it forces agencies to confront their own track record, potentially highlighting the urgent need for better crisis response skills. While the Attorney General sets the standards for what counts as 'specialized training,' the effectiveness of this entire program hinges on those standards being rigorous and focused on real-world de-escalation.

The Catch: Reporting and Quality Control

Once an agency gets the money, the paperwork doesn't stop. They have to report back annually on how the funds were used and how many officers completed the training. For busy agencies, especially smaller ones, meeting these strict reporting requirements could be a hurdle. Also, while the bill mandates that the training must be developed with healthcare professionals and people with lived experience (Section 3), the quality of that training is still reliant on the standards set by the Attorney General. If those standards are weak, agencies could spend the money on low-impact training, missing the chance to genuinely improve safety for both officers and the public during these critical moments.