U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly received an award from the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) recognizing his outstanding support for law enforcement. Donnelly was also recognized for his work to draft, introduce, and shepherd to passage the bipartisan Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, which was signed into law by President Trump earlier this year. NAPO is a coalition of police associations from across the country.
Donnelly said, “Our law enforcement officers put the uniform on and go to work every day to protect our families and communities. I’m proud to stand with them and to ensure that they have access to the mental health and wellness services they need, as many experience traumatic situations. It is an honor to receive this award from NAPO and I want to thank them for their support of my bipartisan Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act.”
Michael “Mick” McHale, President at the National Association of Police Organizations, said, “Senator Donnelly has proven to be a champion for law enforcement officers and the profession through his incredible efforts getting the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act enacted. He recognized the stress and strain of the job and the necessity of giving officers the resources and support they need to address their emotional and mental wellbeing and he took action. The National Association of Police Organizations is proud to honor Senator Donnelly for his partnership and commitment to supporting the nation’s law enforcement community.”
The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, which Donnelly authored and introduced with Senator Todd Young (R-IN) allows law enforcement agencies to establish or enhance mental health services for their officers. It also authorizes grants to initiate peer mentoring pilot programs, directs the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to develop resources for mental health providers based on the specific mental health challenges faced by law enforcement, and supports law enforcement officers by studying the effectiveness of crisis hotlines and annual mental health checks.
It also directs the Departments of Defense (DoD), Justice, and Veterans Affairs (VA) to confer about existing DoD and VA mental health practices and services that could be adopted by law enforcement agencies.
