Helping Families Heal Act of 2024

HR 8470, the Helping Families Heal Act of 2024, provides federal funding to support mental health services for individuals affected by law enforcement violence. The bill authorizes $50 million annually (2025-2029) to award grants to community organizations and schools for programs that recruit mental health professionals to serve those who witnessed or experienced law enforcement violence, lost family members to it, or are grieving such losses. Key provisions include funding community-based trauma awareness programs, school-based mental health services for students and staff, and establishing an interagency task force to coordinate federal efforts. The bill prioritizes communities with high law enforcement interaction rates, racial bias investigations, or high incarceration rates of people with mental health conditions, while prohibiting funds from going to law enforcement entities.