HB 2694 Summary

• Department of Health Services shall develop and offer at least one hour of crisis recognition and intervention training for public safety employees, in consultation with organizations specializing in crisis referral services.

• Training must cover mental health, chemical dependency, domestic violence, financial problems and other personal crises; techniques to recognize these conditions; and a listing of available public and private crisis referral agencies.

• Department may charge a fee to cover the cost of making training available to all public safety employees in state and local agencies.

• All communications between public safety employees and crisis referral services are confidential, except crisis services may disclose information to prevent reasonably certain death, substantial bodily harm, or commission of a crime.

• Defines "public safety employee" to include peace officers, detention/correction officers, probation/surveillance officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians employed by the state or political subdivisions (excluding probationary employees).