Montana § 7-32-602 Local First Responder Peer Support Programs

Montana Statutes

§ 7-32-602 — Local First Responder Peer Support Programs

Montana § 7-32-602

Title 7LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Ch. 32LAW ENFORCEMENT

Part 6First Responder Support

This text of Montana § 7-32-602 (Local First Responder Peer Support Programs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Mont. Code Ann. § 7-32-602 (2026).

Text

7-32-602 . Local first responder peer support programs.

(1)A police department, sheriff's office, fire department, or emergency medical service provider may establish a first responder peer support program that is in compliance with the provisions of this section.

(2)A local first responder peer support program must have a written policy that outlines, at a minimum:

(a)qualifications for a peer supporter, including certification and continuing education requirements;

(b)guidelines for what constitutes a peer support session from a conversation between peers;

(c)definitions for a group debrief and peer support team;

(d)the prohibition of recording in writing or by video or audio any peer support session;

(e)how peer supporters in the program shall comply with the Health Insurance Por

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7-32-602 . Local first responder peer support programs. (1) A police department, sheriff's office, fire department, or emergency medical service provider may establish a first responder peer support program that is in compliance with the provisions of this section.
(2) A local first responder peer support program must have a written policy that outlines, at a minimum:
(a) qualifications for a peer supporter, including certification and continuing education requirements;
(b) guidelines for what constitutes a peer support session from a conversation between peers;
(c) definitions for a group debrief and peer support team;
(d) the prohibition of recording in writing or by video or audio any peer support session;
(e) how peer supporters in the program shall comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. 1320d, et seq.;
(f) the ability of an employee to use multiple peer supporters;
(g) the protection of an employee from being forced to use a peer supporter who holds supervisory authority over the employee;
(h) the prohibition of harassment or discrimination against an employee or volunteer who seeks services from the peer support program; and
(i) confidentiality protections of the peer support program, including the following exceptions:
(i) if the employee has committed or plans to commit a crime;
(ii) if the employee indicates the employee will cause harm to themself or to others;
(iii) if there is a request from an appropriate licensing board or program; and
(iv) if the mandatory reporting requirements of licensing boards or programs apply.
(3) A peer support session is confidential, and, except as provided in subsection (2)(i), a qualified peer supporter in a local first responder peer support program is prohibited from providing testimony about a peer support session, including individual and group peer support sessions.