102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB3796

 

Introduced 2/22/2021, by Rep. Bradley Stephens

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
5 ILCS 840/5
5 ILCS 840/10

    Amends the First Responders Suicide Prevention Act. Provides that peer support advisors shall also receive appropriate training in identifying the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and to respond appropriately to individuals exhibiting those symptoms. Provides that "post-traumatic stress disorder" has the meaning defined by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board in its implementation of its training in post-traumatic stress disorder under the Illinois Police Training Act.


LRB102 04243 RLC 14261 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3796LRB102 04243 RLC 14261 b

1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The First Responders Suicide Prevention Act is
5amended by changing Sections 5 and 10 as follows:
 
6    (5 ILCS 840/5)
7    Sec. 5. Definitions. In this Act:
8    "Emergency services provider" means any public employer
9that employs persons to provide firefighting services.
10    "Emergency services personnel" means any employee of an
11emergency services provider who is engaged in providing
12firefighting services.
13    "Law enforcement agency" means any county sheriff,
14municipal police department, police department established by
15a university, the Department of State Police, the Department
16of Corrections, the Department of Children and Family
17Services, the Division of Probation Services of the Supreme
18Court, the Office of the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator, and
19other local or county agency comprised of county probation
20officers, corrections employees, or 9-1-1 telecommunicators or
21emergency medical dispatchers.
22    "Peer support advisor" means an employee, approved by the
23law enforcement agency or the emergency provider, who

 

 

HB3796- 2 -LRB102 04243 RLC 14261 b

1voluntarily provides confidential support and assistance to
2fellow employees experiencing personal or professional
3problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder. An
4emergency services provider or law enforcement agency shall
5provide peer support advisors with an appropriate level of
6training in counseling to provide emotional and moral support.
7    "Peer support counseling program" means a program
8established by an emergency services provider, a law
9enforcement agency, or collective bargaining organization to
10train employees to serve as peer support advisors to conduct
11peer support counseling sessions.
12    "Peer support counseling session" means communication with
13a peer support advisor designated by an emergency services
14provider or law enforcement agency. A peer support counseling
15session is accomplished primarily through listening,
16assessing, assisting with problem-solving, making referrals to
17a professional when necessary and conducting follow-up as
18needed.
19    "Post-traumatic stress disorder" has the meaning defined
20by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board in
21its implementation of Section 10.13 of the Illinois Police
22Training Act.
23    "Public safety personnel" means any employee of a law
24enforcement agency.
25(Source: P.A. 101-375, eff. 8-16-19.)
 

 

 

HB3796- 3 -LRB102 04243 RLC 14261 b

1    (5 ILCS 840/10)
2    Sec. 10. Establishment of peer support program;
3applicability. Any emergency services provider, law
4enforcement agency, or collective bargaining organization that
5creates a peer support program is subject to this Act. An
6emergency services provider, law enforcement agency, or
7collective bargaining organization shall ensure that peer
8support advisors receive appropriate training in counseling to
9conduct peer support counseling sessions. Peer support
10advisors shall also receive appropriate training in
11identifying the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and
12to respond appropriately to individuals exhibiting those
13symptoms. Emergency services personnel and public safety
14personnel may refer any person to a peer support advisor
15within the emergency services provider or law enforcement
16agency, or if those services are not available within the
17agency, to another peer support counseling program that is
18available and approved by the emergency services provider or
19law enforcement agency. Notwithstanding any other provision of
20this Act, public safety personnel may not mandate that any
21employee participate in a peer support counseling program.
22(Source: P.A. 101-375, eff. 8-16-19.)