$13M Available for Law Enforcement Crisis Response and De-Escalation Training

The COPS Office has opened approximately $13 million through the FY2026 Safer Outcomes Program.

This program is designed to improve outcomes during encounters between law enforcement officers and individuals experiencing mental health, behavioral health, suicidal, substance-related, or disability-related crises.

Funding is divided among three categories. Eligibility and award limits differ substantially, so organizations must identify the correct category before beginning an application.

Grant Breakdown

FY2026 Safer Outcomes: Enhancing Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement

Safer Outcomes supports training, curriculum development, regional training centers, and agency-level crisis-response strategies.

Supported training must address at least one of five designated areas:

• De-escalation tactics and alternatives to the use of force

• Safe responses to mental health, behavioral health, or suicidal crises

• Safe encounters with individuals with disabilities

• Effective participation on crisis intervention teams

• Referrals to community-based services and support

Funding Agency: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

Total Funding Available: Approximately $13 million

Anticipated Number of Awards: Approximately 32

Maximum Award: Up to $750,000, depending on the funding category and path

Award Period: 24 months

Award Type: Cooperative agreement

Match Requirement: No local match required

Funding Opportunity Number: O-COPS-2026-172549

Funding Categories

Category 1: Support for Law Enforcement Agencies

Approximately $8 million is available under this category.

Eligible applicants are limited to:

• Local law enforcement agencies

• State law enforcement agencies

• Tribal law enforcement agencies

• Territorial law enforcement agencies

Funding may support:

• De-escalation and crisis-response training

• Equipment and supplies connected to the proposed project

• Personnel costs

• Contracts supporting embedded co-responder crisis-intervention teams

• Crisis-response partnerships and referrals

Under the mental and behavioral health focus area, applicants may request funding for co-responding clinicians.

Those clinicians must work as employees of a law enforcement agency or under a legal agreement with the agency.

Category 2: Curriculum Integration for Academies and State Commissions

Approximately $3 million is available under this category. Multiple awards will be made, with a maximum award of $500,000.

This category includes two paths.

Academy Path

This path supports law enforcement training academies that provide the basic instruction required for certification and employment as a sworn law enforcement officer.

Funding may be used to integrate de-escalation and crisis-response concepts throughout the academy curriculum instead of limiting the subject to one isolated training block.

Commission Path

This path supports state-level regulatory bodies authorized to establish training standards or mandate law enforcement curricula.

These organizations are often known as Police Officer Standards and Training or Peace Officer Standards and Training commissions.

Eligibility is limited to qualifying academies and state-level regulatory bodies operating through eligible government or Tribal entities.

Partnerships with specialists in adult learning and curriculum development are strongly encouraged.

Category 3: Continuation of Regional De-Escalation Training Centers

Approximately $2 million is available under this category.

This is a restricted continuation opportunity. Organizations may apply only if they received funding through the Safer Outcomes or Regional De-Escalation Training Centers programs during FY2021 through FY2025.

Eligible prior recipients may include:

• Public or private institutions of higher education

• Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status

• For-profit organizations

• Small businesses

This category includes two paths:

• Continuation of Regional De-Escalation Training Centers: Awards of up to $500,000

• Continuation and Coordination of Regional De-Escalation Training Centers: Awards of up to $750,000

The second path includes responsibility for coordinating communication, consistency, and deliverables across the regional centers.

Crisis-Response Areas

Proposed training and related activities must address one or more of the following:

De-Escalation and Alternatives to Force

Projects may teach officers how to stabilize potential force encounters, slow down decision-making when appropriate, improve communication, and use available time and resources to reduce the need for force.

Mental or Behavioral Health and Suicidal Crises

Training may address encounters involving individuals who:

• Are at risk of harming themselves or others

• Are experiencing symptoms of mental illness

• Are under the influence of drugs or alcohol

• Are suicidal

• Are experiencing confusion, psychosis, fear, anger, or other crisis reactions

Encounters With Individuals With Disabilities

Projects may strengthen officers’ ability to recognize disabilities, communicate appropriately, and respond safely.

Crisis Intervention Teams

Funding may support interdisciplinary approaches that bring together trained law enforcement officers, mental health providers, and community partners.

Community-Based Referrals

Training may help officers connect individuals with:

• Mental and behavioral health services

• Housing assistance

• Public benefits

• Suicide-prevention resources

• Other community-based programs

Application Deadlines

Grants.gov deadline: August 27, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. ET

JustGrants deadline: September 3, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. ET

The COPS Office will hold an informational webinar on July 28, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Review the official FY2026 Safer Outcomes Program information and application materials.

The $13 million headline may attract nonprofits and mental health organizations, but most cannot apply independently.

The primary agency-support category is restricted to law enforcement agencies. A community-based mental health provider may have a valuable role as a contracted partner or co-responder, but that does not automatically make the organization an eligible lead applicant.

Likewise, the regional training-center category is limited to qualifying previous recipients.

Before investing time in this opportunity, determine whether your organization is the eligible applicant, a required implementation partner, a contractor, or simply interested in the work. Those are not interchangeable roles in a federal application.

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