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U.S. Representative Val Demings is proposing a bill that would make grant money available to help police departments treat first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The legislation would make existing grant money available to police departments to do peer-to-peer counseling, to study crisis hotlines and the effectiveness of annual mental health exams. It would also make grants available for mental health professionals to develop training specific for law enforcement.

“It’s a start,” said Jessica Realin, whose husband was diagnosed with PTSD after responding to the Pulse night club shooting. “At least it gets the conversation started. I know it’s not everything, but at least it’s something.”

The bill is sponsored by 10 republicans and democrats in the house and senate.

WMFE is a partner with Health News Florida, a statewide collaborative reporting on health care.

Health reporting on WMFE is supported in part by AdventHealth.