House passes Kinzinger’s bill to expand hospital-based intervention programs

The U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 17 approved a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) that would provide $10 million in federal grants to hospitals to expand or create programs for patients recovering from injuries sustained during a violent crime.

“Mental health issues are spiking across the country, and unfortunately, so are acts of violence. And the victims are often caught in a vicious cycle of violence,” Rep. Kinzinger said. “By supporting victims with the resources and education to pursue a different path, we can stop the cycle of violence and give people hope for a better tomorrow.” 

The Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2020, H.R. 5855, which Rep. Kinzinger cosponsored on Feb. 11 with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), would direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a three-year pilot grant program for specified trauma centers and nonprofits to establish or expand intervention or prevention programs related to intentional violent trauma, excluding intimate partner violence, according to the congressional record bill summary.

Grant awards would range from $250,000 to $500,000 and at the conclusion of the pilot program, each hospital would be required to report its findings back to the federal government.

“Right now, it’s important we work together to help and heal those who are struggling. The Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act is a perfect example of how we can join forces and enact policies that will have a real and lasting impact in our communities,” said Rep. Kinzinger. “I want to thank my colleague Congressman Ruppersberger for working with me on this important legislation and am glad to see it moving forward.”

Among the many supporters of H.R. 5855 are the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Trauma Nurses, the National Network of Hospital-based Violence Intervention Programs, the American Hospital Association, and many others.

The U.S. Senate on Nov. 18 received H.R. 5855 from the House and referred the measure to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for consideration.