PASS THE PEOPLE’S RESPONSE ACT!
[ [link removed] ]Take Action Now
[ [link removed] ]TAKE ACTION
Dear Friend,
It’s time to reimagine public safety and create crisis responses that are
appropriate and equipped to meet the needs of communities. The reality is
that our current approach to public safety is not working for children,
for families, and particularly for Black and brown communities that have
been devastated by mental health and substance use health crises, and
criminalization. We would be remiss if we didn't name that too often the
invisible victims of police killings are mothers and the family members of
those whose lives are taken too soon and under such violent circumstances.
Families like that of Aiyana Stanley-Jones who was just 7 years old, Tamir
Rice who was only 12, Michael Brown who was 18, and Laquan McDonald who
was 17. Fathers, like Dante Wright, mothers, like Lajuana Phillips,
daughters, like Breonna Taylor, son’s like Elijah Mclain, too many gone
too soon. Another alarming trend is the rapid increase in the number of
police killings in rural communities. [ [link removed] ] In places like San Antonio,
Texas, police killings are up 75%. [ [link removed] ] Reimagining public safety is not
just critical, for many communities it is a matter of life and death. We
must reimagine our public safety system’s instinct to criminalize and
replace it with an instinct to be thoughtful, strategic, and rooted in
providing appropriate care and response.
[1]The time is now to reimagine public safety. Tell Congress to pass the
People’s Response Act!
What we are clear on is that this is an emergency and far too often the
current excessive policing approaches have had devastating and deadly
effects, particularly for youth, people living with disabilities, and
communities of color. Let's be clear this is a public health crisis.
People with untreated mental health disorders are 16 times more likely to
be killed during a police encounter than people without mental health
disorders who are approached or stopped by law enforcement. We must do
better! We must not allow another community member in crisis, who deserve
clinically appropriate responses to be harmed in their moments of need. If
we had alternatives, if we adopted different approaches, Lindon Cameron, a
13 year old with Aspergers who was killed by Salt Lake City Police would
still be here. [ [link removed] ] The data is alarming, and grossly unacceptable. Nearly
1 in 4 people killed by law enforcement officials have had a mental health
disorder. [ [link removed] ] Black people were 27% of those killed by police in 2021
despite being only 13% of the population. [ [link removed] ]
Every community deserves to feel safe, and the traditional system of
response fails to deliver the adequate, health-based response our
communities need during a time of crisis.
[2]Safe Communities Means Investments in Communities. Congress must pass
the Peoples’s Response Act now!
The People’s Response Act emphasizes an inclusive, holistic, and
health-centered approach to public safety by creating a public safety
division within the Department of Human Health and Services — because
communities and experts agree that public safety is a matter of public
health. It adopts a new approach to public safety that will save lives,
and build systems of care that are rooted in improving the well-being of
all communities. This approach must be equitable, health-centered, and
preventative to stop violence and harm before it occurs while ensuring
that every community has what it needs to flourish.
The People’s Response Act takes this much-needed step by:
* Creating a new public safety division within the Department of Health
and Human Services to fund and coordinate research, technical
assistance, and grant programs related to non-carceral,
health-centered investments in public safety;
* Launching a federal first responders unit that will support states and
local governments with emergency health crises;
* Research alternative approaches to public safety, including
coordination of research and policies that are being implemented
across HHS and other agencies to center health-based and non-carceral
responses throughout the federal government;
* Providing $7.5 billion in grant funding to state and local
governments, as well as community-based organizations, to fully fund
public safety and improve crisis response;
* Establishing a $2.5 billion First Responder Hiring Grant to create
thousands of jobs and provide funding to state, local, and tribal
government, as well as community organizations, to hire emergency
first responders such as licensed social workers, mental health
counselors, substance use counselors, and peer support specialists, in
an effort to improve crisis response and increase non-carceral,
health-based approaches to public safety.
[3]Tell Congress: You must pass the Peoples’s Response Act now!
Now, more than ever, it is crucial for Congress to step up and support new
inclusive, holistic, and health-centered approaches to dealing with crises
that will reduce harm and truly keep our communities safe. State, local,
and tribal governments across the country are already implementing
innovative strategies to prevent violence, reduce harm, and improve the
wellbeing of every community, especially Black and brown communities.
The People’s Response Act provides the resources and assistance to scale
up these efforts and truly transform public safety in the United States.
It would reframe how we think about and respond to crisis situations in
this country with an approach that meets the demands and needs of our
communities and this moment. [ [link removed] ]
Thanks for all you do!
-Beatriz, Monifa, Diarra, Kelsey, Kristin, and the whole
MomsRising.org/MamásConPoder Team
P.S.– MomsRising is mobilizing to reimagine public safety and our over
reliance on policing. We are collecting stories to share with elected and
community leaders to address police violence. If you and or your loved
ones have been impacted by police violence, click this [4]LINK to share
your story. Together we are powerful!
References:
[1][2][5] [5]Mapping Police Violence
[3] [6]13-Year-Old Boy With Autism Disorder Shot By Salt Lake City Police
: NPR
[4] [ [link removed] ]People with Untreated Mental Illness 16 Times More Likely to Be
Killed By Law Enforcement
[6] [ [link removed] ]Text - HR4194 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): The People's Response
Act
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