Legislature: Mental Health for Officers

S.2533 Improving Access to Mental Health Services Act

Latest Action: Senate – 03/12/2018 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

H2140 Mental Wellness Training for Police Officers

Lastest Action: 1/22/19 Referred to the Committee for Public Safety and Homeland Security

State Representative Tim Whelan

August 1, 2018
Friends, yesterday I spoke before my colleagues in the House about traumatic events witnessed all too frequently by first responders during debate on S.2633, an act relative to critical incident intervention by emergency service providers. I related a personal story to help members see the effects of these horrors on a personal level so they can understand the critical need for this bill. S.2633 will improve access to mental health supports for our frontline officers, thereby reducing the tragic effects of cumulative PTSD (including suicide) that is a curse that has haunted the profession for ages.

I want to thank my House colleagues for their unanimous vote in favor of engrossment of this bill, and the many hands involved in getting this bill to the floor for that vote. Chairmen Hank Naughton and Ted Speliotis, Reps. Ed Coppinger and Paul Tucker, Senator Mike Moore, Janice McCarthy of the Concerns of Police Suicide Survivors, the Mass. Chiefs of Police, Police Chiefs Frank Frederickson and Andy Sluckis, the Mass Coalition of Police, the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, and many others, this means you. Thank you. You all rock !!!

MassLive Coverage of Proposal

As police suicides proliferate, bill seeks mental health training for cops

“…You are doing a great service to the Law Enforcement community, I personally know of many officers that need help but they just brush it off. Most officers think that if you seek help you are weak.I for one have sought help and it has helped me in so many ways. Keep up the good work.”