The "People's Response Act" seeks to fundamentally redefine community safety by establishing a Division on Community Safety within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This new Division is tasked with catalyzing research, coordinating federal resources, and supporting the implementation of "qualified approaches" to community safety across the nation. Its overarching purpose is to reduce contact with the criminal legal system, expand opportunities, and provide holistic support to marginalized communities and survivors of various forms of violence.

A qualified approach to community safety is defined as evidence-informed, nonpunitive methods that prevent violence and enhance public safety through programs, services, and infrastructure investments, offering alternatives to law enforcement, criminal courts, and immigration enforcement. The HHS Division will oversee grant programs, fund and disseminate research, provide technical assistance, and coordinate interagency efforts to advance these alternative approaches. It is also responsible for establishing a National Advisory Committee and an Interagency Task Force to guide its activities.

The National Advisory Committee will advise the Assistant Secretary for Community Safety, comprising individuals with personal experience of the criminal legal system and grassroots advocates. This committee will make recommendations on research priorities and funding to ensure equitable and community-led implementation of safety initiatives. Concurrently, an Interagency Task Force, involving multiple federal agencies, will audit existing federal funds allocated to both carceral and community safety approaches, aiming to streamline funding processes for grassroots organizations.

The bill authorizes four distinct grant programs totaling $13.5 billion from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, designed to support various entities in developing and implementing qualified approaches to community safety. These grants are specifically allocated to community-based organizations, local governments, and states. A significant portion of these funds is earmarked for rural areas and non-urban jurisdictions, ensuring broad geographic reach and equitable distribution.

The Community Safety Grant for Community-Led Organizations prioritizes groups serving disproportionately impacted communities and those led by individuals with lived experience of the criminal legal system. Funds can be used for crisis intervention, violence prevention, public health initiatives, housing security, youth support, victim services, and reentry programs. Similarly, the Community Safety Grant for Local Governments supports safety needs assessments, the establishment of community-led entities, and investments in programs addressing economic stability, health, housing, and education, with a minimum wage requirement for staff hired through these grants.

The Community Safety Grant for States requires recipient states to establish a state-level agency equivalent to the federal Division on Community Safety and provide matching funds, supporting community-based organizations, local governments, and education/training. Lastly, the First Responder Hiring Grants fund the recruitment, training, and deployment of "first responders" who utilize qualified, non-punitive approaches to crisis response, violence prevention, and school-based support, also including a minimum wage requirement. All grant recipients are mandated to report on fund usage, demographics, and impact, with a strong emphasis on privacy and non-carceral outcomes.