# 119-hr-8493: Peer Support for Our First Responders Act of 2026

119-hr-8493, Peer Support for Our First Responders Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10] (D-VA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8493
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8493
- Congress: 119
- Title: Peer Support for Our First Responders Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-04-23
- Sponsor: Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10] (D-VA)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## Summary

**Create an interagency working group to review and set minimum standards for peer-to-peer behavioral health programs for law enforcement officers and first responders.** The bill would direct the Department of Health and Human Services, through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to assemble federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local agencies, frontline personnel, and nongovernmental organizations to identify evidence-based best practices. The review would focus on confidentiality, peer supporter training, suicide risk reduction, substance use, and integration with licensed behavioral health professionals. The working group would publish a report with minimum standards and recommendations to Congress within one year, then terminate after submitting that report. The bill would authorize such sums as necessary to carry out this work.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Rep. Alford, Mark [R-MO-4] (R-MO), 2026-04-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5] (R-FL), 2026-04-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Peer support guidance for first responders: benefit, low. This bill would direct the HHS Secretary (through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use) to create an interagency working group on peer-to-peer behavioral health programs for law enforcement officers and first responders. The group would review best practices for different occ…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
- 119-hr-3277: Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act
- 119-hr-9250: Great American Outdoors Act 250

## Sources
- [119-hr-8493 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8493)

## Related
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4206)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [119-hr-3277: Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3277)
- [119-hr-9250: Great American Outdoors Act 250](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9250)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8493 (as of 2026-09-21).