Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-NV, speaks to the media following a tour of the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall, Monday, May 3, 2021.
Monday, May 17, 2021 | 12:32 p.m.
CARSON CITY — U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s effort to expand peer counseling programs for police cleared a legislative hurdle late last week as lawmakers sent the bill through committee in recognition of National Police Week.
The Confidentiality Opportunities for Peer Support (Cops) Counseling Act, sponsored by the Nevada Democrat and Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, urges the adoption of law enforcement peer counseling programs and would ensure the information shared in those session is kept confidential. The bill’s measures are modeled after Nevada’s confidentiality laws.
“Our law enforcement officers stand up and protect our communities every day, and we need to make sure they have access to quality mental health counseling to deal with the stress and trauma associated with their service,” Cortez Masto said in a statement.
Peer counseling in police departments began in the 1950s with alcohol counseling programs in Boston and Chicago, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Providing robust mental health support to our law enforcement reduces the stigma of seeking help and leads to better policing, and I’ll continue working across the aisle to support our officers in Nevada and across the country,” Cortez Masto said.
Cortez Masto’s office cited a recent survey by the Fraternal Order of Police and NBC New York in which 73% of respondents said peer support programs were the most helpful mental health resource. The survey, however, also found concerns about confidentiality prevented many officers from feeling comfortable with peer support teams.
The bill has the endorsement of many police organizations, including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Blue HELP, the National Association of Police Organizations, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the International Union of Police Association .
The bill will now go to the full Senate.
