National ACERT Grant Program

Summary#

This bill would add a new grant program to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act to create Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Teams (ACERTs). The Attorney General, working with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, would make grants to States, local governments, Indian Tribes, and neighborhood or community-based organizations. Grants could be used to set up teams and protocols to help children and youth exposed to trauma, build referral partnerships with behavioral health and substance use treatment providers, integrate law enforcement with mental health and crisis services, provide trauma-informed training, support cross-system planning, identify access barriers, and give technical assistance.

What it means for you#

• Eligible recipients (States, local governments, Tribes, and community groups) could apply for grant money to start or expand local trauma-response teams.
• Communities could use funds to create response protocols, referral agreements, and training for emergency responders, schools, child welfare, and other partners.
• The Attorney General would run the grant program in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Applicants must submit an application in the form the Attorney General requires.

Expenses#

The bill authorizes $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to carry out the program. No publicly available information on how many grants would be awarded, grant sizes, matching requirements, or longer-term costs.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.