Pennsylvania HB 213: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in emergency responder mental wellness and stress management, further providing for confidential communications involving emergency responders and providing for mental health evaluations for 911 dispatchers.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 160
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 213
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BOROWSKI, PROKOPIAK, KHAN, GREEN, SIEGEL, SANCHEZ,
GUENST, VENKAT, PIELLI, McNEILL, KENYATTA, MALAGARI, GIRAL,
OTTEN, HILL-EVANS, CIRESI, HOHENSTEIN, SCHLOSSBERG, DALEY,
DEASY AND MADDEN, JANUARY 17, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 17, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in emergency responder mental wellness
and stress management, further providing for confidential
communications involving emergency responders and providing
for mental health evaluations for 911 dispatchers.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 75A10(a) and (b)(1) of Title 35 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
§ 75A10. Confidential communications involving emergency
responders.
(a) Disclosure.--Except as provided under subsection (b), a
trained peer support provider or coparticipant present during
peer support services, a health care provider or a helpline
operator may not disclose any information regarding an emergency
responder without the consent of the emergency responder.
(b) Exceptions.--The privilege established under subsection
(a) shall not apply if any of the following apply:
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(1) The trained peer support provider, health care
provider or helpline operator reasonably believes a clear and
present danger exists to the emergency responder or to other
individuals.
* * *
Section 2. Title 35 is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 75A12. Mental health evaluations for 911 dispatchers.
(a) Evaluations.--Without cost to the 911 dispatcher , an
employer shall provide a 911 dispatcher with a mental health
evaluation for post-traumatic stress disorder by a licensed
health care provider:
(1) upon request of the 911 dispatcher ; or
(2) upon recommendation of the direct supervisor of the
911 dispatcher .
(b) Treatment.--If a licensed health care provider
determines during the mental health evaluation under subsection
(a) that the 911 dispatcher has symptoms of post-traumatic
stress disorder, the 911 dispatcher shall be provided with
treatment under a licensed health care provider's care until the
licensed health care provider determines in writing that the 911
dispatcher is able to resume full duties.
(c) Administrative duty.--A 911 dispatcher shall be assigned
to administrative duty if the 911 dispatcher is experiencing
symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder as determined by a
licensed health care provider under subsection (a) and whom the
licensed health care provider has not yet determined is able to
resume full duties under subsection (b).
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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