HB 101 — FIREFIGHTER & EMERGENCY PEER SUPPORT ACT

HOUSE BILL 101 56TH LEGISLATURE -STATEOFNEWMEXICO-- STATEOFNEWMEXICO- SECOND SESSION , 2024 INTRODUCED BY Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson and Kathleen Cates and Yanira Gurrola andThis Pamelyadocument Herndonmay 7incorporate 9amendments ANproposed ACTby RELATINGa TOcommittee, BEHAVIORALbut HEALTH;not yet adopted, as well as amendments that have been adopted during the current legislative session.

ENACTINGThe THEdocument FIREFIGHTERis ANDa EMERGENCYtool SERVICEto PROVIDERshow PEERamendments SUPPORTin ACT;context and cannot be used for the purpose of adding amendments to legislation.

ALLOWINGh STATE,AN LOCALACT ANDg REGIONALo PUBLICRELATING FIRE AGENCIES TO CREATEBEHAVIORAL PEERHEALTH; SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS;

MAKINGENACTING THE FIREFIGHTER AND t hr g e i k EMERGENCY SERVICE PROVIDER PEER SUPPORT SERVICESACT; CONFIDENTIAL;

LIMITINGALLOWING LIABILITYSTATE, FORh THEr PROVISIONi OFs LOCAL AND REGIONAL PUBLIC FIRE AGENCIES TO CREATE PEER SUPPORT SERVICES;h , t, PROGRAMS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS;

MAKING ANPEER APPROPRIATION.e u g e b l e e h SUPPORT SERVICES CONFIDENTIAL;

eLIMITING tLIABILITY 17FOR wTHE l n d 18d BEi IT= ENACTED= BYo THEh LEGISLATUREPROVISION OF THEPEER STATESUPPORT OFSERVICES NEWHJCº MEXICO:;

=MAKING =AN 19l ] b ,d i a lº SECTIONe 1.APPROPRIATION»HJC.

[NEWr MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be i a= e r 20t citede asw thed "Firefighterm anda Emergencyn Serviceo Providerd Peer a t m m: 21 Support Act".

b e d s º o t n = .226800.1AIC January 27, 2024 (5:31pm) s k m e e a n e d r e 22l SECTIONu 2.[ A d BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

[NEWSECTION MATERIAL]1. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the c e s k 23 Firefighter and Emergency Service Provider Peer Support Act:

e[NEW aMATERIAL n] bSHORT 24TITLE.--This A.act may be cited as the "Firefighter and Emergency Service Provider Peer Support Act".

"confidentialSECTION communication"2. means a written or u [ oral communication between an emergency service provider and a .226800.1 peer support team member;

[NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Firefighter and Emergency Service Provider Peer Support Act:

A.

"confidential communication" means a written or oral communication between an emergency service provider and a peer support team member;

h g (1) physical and emotional illness;

o t hr (2) failure of usual coping mechanisms;

g e i k (3) loss of interest in the job or normal life h r i s h activities;

, t, e u g (4) personality changes;

and e b l e e h (5) loss of ability to function;

n d d i = = o h C.

"emergency service provider" means an employee l ] b ,d i a º e tr 17i = r or volunteer at a state, local or regional public fire agency wt le nw d 18m a n o who provides emergency response services,services includingHJCº =, =including 19d am l: firefighters, paramedics and dispatchers;

ib e d s º o t n = .226800.1AIC January 27, 2024 (5:31pm) s k m e - 2 - e a n e d r 20e D.l u [ A d firefighters, paramedics and dispatchers»HJC ;

"peerD. support program" means a program a t m m 21 administered by a state, local or regional public fire agency d r e 22 that delivers peer support services to emergency service c e s k 23 providers;

e"peer support program" means a nprogram badministered 24by E.a state, local or regional public fire agency that delivers peer support services to emergency service providers;

"peerE. support services" means services provided u [ by a peer support team member that assist emergency service .226800.1 - 2 - providers who are struggling with behavioral health issues;

"peer support services" means services provided by a peer support team member that assist emergency service providers who are struggling with behavioral health issues;

"peer support team member" means an emergency service provider,provider HJCº , hospital staff, clergy or educator whowho»HJC HJCºwho has completed peer support training approved by the state fire marshal's office,»HJC works for a public fire agency and provides peer support services to emergency service providers.

[NEW MATERIAL]MATERIAL ] PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM--PEER SUPPORT TEAM MEMBER TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.-- h A.

Any state, local or regional public fire agency g o t hr may establish a peer support program.

Each program shall have g e i k at least one peer support team composed of peer support team h r i s members who offer peer support services to emergency service h , t, e u g providers.

e b l e e h B.

Each peer support team member shall complete a n d d i = = o h training course approved by the state fire marshal's office.

l ] b ,d i a º e The training course shall train peer support team members to r i = r t e w d m a n o provide peer support services for matters that include:

ed tm 17: (1) substance use and substance abuse;

wb le d s º o t n = .226800.1AIC January 27, 2024 (5:31pm) s k m e - 3 - e a n e d 18r (2)e criticall incidentu stress;[ A d (1) substance use and substance abuse;

=(2) =critical 19incident astress; l (3) grief support;

i(3) agrief esupport; r 20 (4) line of duty deaths;

a(4) tline mof mduty 21deaths; (5) serious injury or illness;