On Capitol Hill
COs' education benefits
On Oct. 2, President Clinton signed a bill that expands an existing program to allow families of COs who’ve been killed or severely disabled to qualify for educational funds. The law extends the retroactive eligibility dates from 1997 to 1978. The benefits involve financial assistance for higher education to spouses and dependent children of federal, state and local COs and other law-enforcement officers.
The House passed its version of the measure, H.R. 2059, in September. The Senate passed S. 1638, the companion bill, in May.
Demonstration grants
Taking a cue from AFSCME, President Clinton signed Public Law No. 106-515 on Nov. 13. The legislation provides grants to states to establish demonstration mental-health courts. The U.S. attorney general will make grants to states, state courts and local courts for up to 100 programs that involve continuing judicial supervision over offenders who suffer mental illness, mental retardation, or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders.
The grants also will provide for specialized training of law enforcement and judicial personnel to identify and address the unique needs of such offenders, and provide for outpatient or inpatient mental-health treatment.
In September, AFSCME submitted a statement in support of H.R. 2594, “America’s Law Enforcement and Mental Health Project.” Read the statement in part: “Those who suffer with mental illness, or those who are developmentally disabled, are best able to lead productive lives if they are provided continuing supervision and mental health treatment plans.
“Incarceration of the mentally ill is not a humane answer to our nation’s mental health problem because jails and prisons are not therapeutic environments by either intent or design. Our society can, and must, do better for our less-fortunate citizens.”
Life savers
On Nov. 11, President Clinton signed into law the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2000, a bill that clarifies the procedures and conditions awarding matching grants for the purchase of armored vests. The vests meet the requirements for protection against stabbings as established by the state seeking matching grants. When it is finally implemented, the national standard will supersede the state standards for qualifying grants.
