Dear Senators Fischer and Smith,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for S. 662, the “Achieving Thorough Transparency and Accessibility for Information Navigation on (ATTAIN) Mental Health Act,” which would establish an online dashboard for Federal resources related to mental health programs.
Law enforcement officers’ duties have expanded over the years to encompass more than just protecting the public. Now officers are also expected to be therapists, addiction specialists, and mental health experts. Additionally, county jails and State prisons are the nation’s largest provider of mental health services and may rely on Federal resources to access mental health resources.
Your legislation would create an online dashboard that would allow the public to see Federal grant information related to mental health programs. It would also allow law enforcement agencies to be consulted during the process of establishing the dashboard. By creating a userfriendly and publicly assessable website, law enforcement agencies and State and local prisons will be able to access information about Federal mental health grants faster and more efficiently. Consequently, mental health services will be able to get to inmates and the public sooner.
On behalf of the more than 356,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, I am proud to offer our support for this legislation. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President