Sec. 772.0073. PEACE OFFICER MENTAL HEALTH GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this section:

(1) "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of the state or an agency of a political subdivision of the state authorized by law to employ peace officers.

(2) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal justice division established under Section 772.006.

(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and administer a grant program through which a law enforcement agency may apply for a grant to implement programs, practices, and services designed to address the direct or indirect emotional harm suffered by peace officers employed by the law enforcement agency in the course of the officers' duties or as the result of the commission of crimes by other persons.

(c) Grant money awarded under this section may be used to pay for:

(1) mental health counseling and other mental health care;

(2) personnel costs incurred by the department as a result of providing direct services and supporting activities under an implemented program, practice, or service;

(3) skills training for department personnel related to providing direct services under an implemented program, practice, or service; and

(4) evaluation of an implemented program, practice, or service to determine its effectiveness.

(d) Information obtained in the administration of a program, practice, or service funded by a grant made under this section is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552.

(e) A law enforcement agency may not use against a peace officer in a departmental proceeding any information obtained in the administration of a program, practice, or service funded by a grant made under this section.

(f) The criminal justice division shall establish:

(1) eligibility criteria for grant applicants;

(2) grant application procedures;

(3) guidelines relating to grant amounts;

(4) procedures for evaluating grant applications; and

(5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any conditions of a grant.

(g) The criminal justice division shall evaluate and compare the programs, practices, and services implemented by each law enforcement agency that receives a grant under this section to determine the most successful programs, practices, and services for maintaining the mental health of peace officers.

(h) The criminal justice division may contract with a third party to conduct the evaluations and comparison described by Subsection (g).

(i) The criminal justice division shall include in the biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) a detailed reporting of the results and performance of the grant program administered under this section.

(j) The criminal justice division may use any available funds to implement this section.

Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 488 (H.B. 2619), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.