Pennsylvania HB 676: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, establishing the First Responder Resilience Grant Program and the First Responder Resilience Grant Program Fund; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 690
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 676
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY KHAN, FLICK, O'MARA, PIELLI, SANCHEZ, HANBIDGE,
HILL-EVANS, HOWARD, SCHLOSSBERG, HARKINS, BOROWSKI, OTTEN,
CERRATO AND GREEN, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, establishing the First Responder
Resilience Grant Program and the First Responder Resilience
Grant Program Fund; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Agency.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 75B
FIRST RESPONDER RESILIENCE GRANTS
Subchapter
A. Preliminary Provisions
B. First Responder Resilience Grant Program
C. First Responder Resilience Grant Program Fund
D. Miscellaneous Provisions
SUBCHAPTER A
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
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Sec.
75B01. Scope of chapter.
75B02. Definitions.
§ 75B01. Scope of chapter.
This chapter relates to first responder resilience grants.
§ 75B02. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
"Evidence-based tool." As follows:
(1) A service or program that is designed for a first
responder to withstand, recover from and grow in the face of
stressors, trauma and the changing demands resulting from the
unique work of the first responder.
(2) The term includes:
(i) Peer mentoring.
(ii) Training and assistance regarding emotional and
mental health.
(iii) Integrative medicine, physical relaxation and
mindfulness techniques, including massage therapy, talk
therapy, yoga and meditation.
(iv) Suicide prevention.
(v) Stress reduction techniques.
(vi) Support services for the first responder and
the family of the first responder.
"First responder." As defined in paragraphs (1), (2), (3),
(4), (5) and (7) of the definition of "first responder" under
section 79C11 (relating to definitions).
"First responder organization." An entity in this
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Commonwealth for which a first responder is employed or
volunteers for service.
"Fund." The First Responder Resilience Grant Program Fund
established under section 75B21 (relating to establishment of
fund).
"Mental health care." Any care, treatment, service or
procedure to maintain, diagnose, treat or provide for mental
health, including any medication program or therapeutic
treatment.
"Mental health provider." A person that is licensed,
certified or otherwise authorized by the laws of this
Commonwealth to administer or provide mental health care in the
ordinary course of business or practice of a profession.
"Program." The First Responder Resilience Grant Program
established under section 75B11 (relating to establishment of
program).
"Resilience coach." An individual who:
(1) Is a mental health provider.
(2) Supports the mental health and wellness of the first
responders within a first responder organization by providing
the first responders with evidence-based tools to withstand,
recover and grow in the face of stressors, trauma and the
changing demands of the unique work of first responders.
SUBCHAPTER B
FIRST RESPONDER RESILIENCE GRANT PROGRAM
Sec.
75B11. Establishment of program.
75B12. Purpose of program.
75B13. Application form.
75B14. Review and determination.
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75B15. Distribution of grants.
§ 75B11. Establishment of program.
The First Responder Resilience Grant Program is established
within the agency, which shall implement and administer the
program in accordance with this chapter.
§ 75B12. Purpose of program.
The purpose of the program is to award grants to first
responder organizations, on a competitive basis, to defray
personnel costs, including salaries and overtime, involved in
embedding resilience coaches into first responder organizations.
§ 75B13. Application form.
(a) Development.--The agency shall develop an application
form for first responder organizations to apply for grants under
the program.
(b) Contents.--The application form for a grant under the
program must include at least the following information:
(1) The name, address and contact information of the
first responder organization requesting the grant.
(2) The amount of the requested grant.
(3) The proposed use for the requested grant.
(4) Any other information that the agency deems
necessary and appropriate.
§ 75B14. Review and determination.
(a) Process generally.--The agency shall prescribe the
process to submit and review completed application forms in
accorda