§ 7-294ff — Development of model critical incident and peer support policy. Policy adoption. Provision of peer support and mental health referral services.

(a) Not later than January 1, 2020, the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, established under section 7-294b, the Department of Correction and the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control shall develop and promulgate a model critical incident and peer support policy to support the mental health care and wellness of police officers, as defined in section 7-294a, parole officers, as defined in section 31-294k, and firefighters, as defined in section 31-294k. (b) Not later than July 1, 2020, each law enforcement unit as defined in section 7-294a , the Department of Correction as employer of parole officers, each municipal or state paid or volunteer fire department and each municipal entity employing a fire marshal, deputy fire marshal, fire investigator, fire inspector or other class of investigator or inspector for whom the State Fire Marshal and the Codes and Standards Committee, acting jointly, have adopted minimum standards of qualification pursuant to section 29-298 , shall (1) adopt and maintain a written policy that meets or exceeds the standards of the model policy developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section; (2) make peer support available to such officers and firefighters; and (3) refer an officer or firefighter, as appropriate, seeking mental health care services to a mental health professional, as defined in section 31-294k .

Legislative History

(P.A. 19-17, S. 7.) History: P.A. 19-17 effective July 1, 2019.