House Amendment

PEER SUPPORT COUNSELING PROGRAMS (SECTION 190.1010)

The act creates new provisions relating to communications during peer support counseling programs for certain first responders. With certain exceptions, detailed in the act, a communication made by a first responder or peer support advisor in a peer support counseling session, as well as any oral or written information conveyed in the peer support counseling session, shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed by any person participating in the peer support counseling session or released to any person or entity. Any communication relating to a peer support counseling session made confidential under this act that is made between peer support advisors and the supervisors or staff of a peer support counseling program, or between the supervisor or staff of a peer support counseling program, shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed, except as otherwise provided in the act.

An employer of a first responder that establishes a peer support counseling program shall develop a policy or rule that imposes disciplinary measures against a peer support advisor who violates the confidentiality of the peer support counseling program by sharing information learned in a peer support counseling session with personnel who are not supervisors or staff of the peer support counseling program, unless otherwise exempted under the provisions of this act.

The act provides that no employer may mandate that any employee participate in a peer support counseling program.

VOLUNTARY CRITICAL ILLNESS BENEFITS POOL (SECTIONS 287.245 AND 320.400)

Current law contains a voluntary cancer benefits pool established for the purpose of providing benefits for firefighters who have contracted cancer in connection with employment as a firefighter. This act expands the pool to allow other first responders, specifically emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-paramedic, and telecommunicators, to have access to benefits through the pool for exposure to a diagnosable trauma stress event, or diagnosable cumulative post traumatic stress injury over the course of a career. The act additionally allows covered individuals to join the pool. Furthermore, any professional organization formed for the purpose, in whole or in part, of representing or providing resources for any covered individual may make contributions to the pool on behalf of any covered individual without the organization itself joining the pool.

A payment may be made from the pool to a covered individual for the actual award, up to ten thousand dollars, for seeking treatment with a licensed psychiatrist or a licensed psychologist and any subsequent courses of treatment recommended by such licensed individuals. If a covered individual returns to the same position of employment after a post traumatic stress injury diagnosis, the covered individual may receive benefits in this section for the continued treatment of such injury or any subsequently covered post traumatic stress injury diagnosis.

Current law allows for the State Fire Marshal to disburse grants to voluntary critical illness pools. This provision expires June 30, 2023. This act repeals the sunset date.

SCOTT SVAGERA

HA 1 - CHANGES TITLE OF ACT TO "VULNERABLE PERSONS"

HA 2 - MODIFIES REFERENCES TO FIRST RESPONDERS THROUGHOUT STATUTE

HA 3 - MODIFIES COMPENSABLE OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS PURSUANT TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAWS

HA 4 - MODIFIES PROVISIONS RELATING TO ADVANCED HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES

HA 5 - MODIFIES ADOPTION TAX CREDITS

HA 6 - MODIFIES PROVISIONS RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SERVICES, HOSPITALS, AND RIGHTS OF CRIME VICTIMS

HA 7 - MODIFIES THE SUPPLEMENTAL SURCHARGE FOR THE SECOND INJURY FUND

HA 8 - MODIFIES PROVISIONS RELATING TO CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

HA 9 - MODIFIES PROVISIONS RELATING TO REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS OF MISSOURI TASK FORCE ONE MEMBERS