An Act to Enhance the Use of Critical Incident Stress Management Teams and to Require Peer Team Support
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1742
Committee Amendment CA_A_H898 (House)
Amends: 25 MRSA §4201, 25 MRSA §4201-A, 25 MRSA §4202, 25 MRSA §4203

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/-^ » to H.P. 1121, L,D. 1742, "An Act to Enhance
the Use of Critical Incident Stress Management Teams and to Require Peer Team Support"
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following:
'See. 1. 25 MRSA §4201, as amended by PL 2019,c, 89, §§1 to 5, is repealed,
Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §4201-A is enacted to read:
S4201-A. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the_fQ I lowing terms
have the followine meaninRs.
1. Affected person. "Affected person" means a member or employee ofam'ovider or
a person m'oyidmg emergency care or response services on behalf of a provider.
2. Critical incident. "Critical incident" means a work-related incident that causes or
has the potential to cause an affected person to experience emotional or tihvsical stress.
"Critical incident" includes, but is not lu-nited to. use-of-force encounters that may result in
the death of or serious injury to another person or an affected person, fatal motor vehicle
accidents, child abuse investigations, emergency care or resBonse operations and death
mvestieations,
3. CnticaLm stress manaeement peer support. "Critical incident stress
manapement peer support" means services provided to an affected person when that
affected person has been involved in a critical incident that can reasonably have a
devastating, long-lasting effect on that affected person, "Critical incident stress
management peer suooort" includes assistinR the_affected oerson to aDpropriatelv process
the trauma and stress associated with a critical incident and connecting that affected person
toaBBmPi'i^e resources,
4. Critical incident stress management peer support person. "Critical incident
stress management peer support person'Lmeans a person who provides critical incident
stress management peer support and is trained in accordance with national best practices
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "H" to H,P. 1121, L.D. 1742
and standards established by rule by the Commissioner of Public Safety, Rules adoBted
pursuant to this subsection are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375.
subchaoter 2-A.
5._Critical incident stress management services. "Critical incident stress
management services" means an intervention protocol developed specifically for dealing
with traumatic events using a formal, structured and professionally recognized process for
helping affected, persons involved in a critical incident,
6. jCriticaI incident stress management team, "Critical incident_stress management
team" means:
A. A team of critical incident stress management peer support persons designated by
the chief or director of a public safety agency, private safety agency or public safety
answermg Romt; anorganization involved in emereencv care or response; the sheriff
of a countyjail; or the head of a detention_or correctionaL facility, or that _D_ersQnls
desienee; or
B, A volunteer team coordinator from a nonprofit entity that is trained, in accordance
with national best practices and standards established by rule by the Commissioner of
Public Safety, to assist and provide_critical incident stress management peer supoort,
A critical incident stress management team shall have an established relationship with a
licensed mental health clinician who is available for consultation with members of the
critical incident stress management team as the members determine to be necessary and for
at least one meeting annually with the team. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are
routine technical rules as defined in Tifle_5, chapter 375. subchaoter 2-A.
7. Peer team. "PeeLJteam" means a team of active or retired-in-good-standine
members or employees of a provider that provides peer team support services to affected
persons and that is trained in accordance with standards established by rule by the
Commissioner of Public Safety, Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine
technical rules as defined m Title 5, chapter 375. subchapter 2-A.
8. Peer team support services. "Peerteam^uBpgrt services" means the provision of
behavioral health resources to an affected person by a peer team for the purpose of
0 addressing issues resulting from trauma and stress associated with beine an affected person.
regardless of whether the trauma and stress is related to a critical incident,
9. Private safety agency. "Private safety agency" has the same meanine as in section
2921. subsection 6-A,
10. Provider. "Provider" means a_i3ybUc safety_agency, private safety aeencv. public
safety answering point or organization involved in emergency care or response; a
correctional facility as defined in Title _34-A,section 1001. subsection 6; or a sheriffs office
or county jail,
11. Public safety aeency. "Public safety aeency" has the same meaning as in section
2921. subsection 6-B.
12. Public safety answering point. "Public safety answering point" has the same
meaning as in section 2921, subsection 7,
Sec. 3. 25 MRSA §4202, as amended by PL 2019,c. 89,§6, is further amended to
read;
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"^" to H.P. 1121,L,D. 17.42
§4202. Critical incident stress management teams; peer teams; confidentiality
1. Information confidential. Except as provided in subsection 2, all proceedings,
communications and records, including, but not limited to, information concerning the
identity of a an affected person seeking or being furnished assistance, connected in any way
with the work of a critical incident stress management team or peer team, including critical
incident stress management peer support persons, are confidential and are not subject to
compulsory legal process or otherwise discoverable or admissible in evidence in any civil
action unless the confidentiality is waived by the affected person seeking or being furnished
assistance. Statistical data not identifying a the affected person seeking or being furnished
the assistance of a critical incident stress management team or peer team must be made
available for statistical evaluation and may not be made available for any other purpose.
2. Mandatory disclosure of information. Unless protected by a privilege of law
recognized by this State, a member of a critical incident stress management team must or
peer team shall disclose to appropriate federal, state or local government agencies or law
enforcement agencies the following types of information:
A, An admission by a an affected person seeking the assistance of the critical incident
stress management team or peer team that the that affected person has committed a
crime;
B, A disclosure of information by a an affected person seeking the assistance of a
critical incident stress management team or peer team that must be reported pursuant
to any applicable law; or
C. A disclosure of information by a an affected person seeking the assistance of a
critical incident stress management team or peer team that would lead one to reasonably
think that the affected person seeking assistance is a danger to that affected person or
to another person,
Information disclosed under this subsection is no longer confidential unless it is otherwise
designated confidential by statute,
Sec. 4. 25 MRSA §4203 is enacted to read:
§4203. Critical incident stress management services and peer team support services
1, Critical incident stress manaeement team services. The Commissioner of Public
Safety shall ensure that critical incident stress management team services are available to
alLaffected isersons. including by;
A. Suworting the establishment of a critical incident stress management team for
every provider, which may include a single critical incident stress management team
5 working with multiple providers;
B. Providing critical mcjdent stress management team services for every provider that
7 does not have a critical incident stress management team;
C, Beginning July 1. 2025 and as part of preservice and in-service training under
chapter 341, providing educational, training and Di'omotional programs and materials.
including, but not limited to. programs and materials related to trauma, to all affected
persons to mcrease awareness of or provide support for critical incident stress
management team services; and
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
^OS COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A'
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"/-!" to H.P. 1121, L,D. 1742
D. Providing access to behavioral health care services for all affected persons
immediately after a critical incident in which the affected person or provider has
provided care. response or_services.
2. Peer team support services. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall ensure that
peer team support services are available to all affected persons,
3, Access to critical incident stress management services, behavioral health care
services and peer team support services, A provider shall employ or have as an active
member at least one critical incident stress management p.eer support person or
alternatively partner with an oreanization that provides critical incident stress management
services and peer team suooort services to the provider, This employee, member or
oreanization shall provide education and access to ongoing behavioral health care services
related to any post-traumatic stress resulting from_a critical incident experienced by an
affected person and shall, within existing provider resources, maintain a critical incident
stress management team and a peer team. The provision of services under this subsection
may includecollaboration with another provider.
4. CQlIaboration; implementation; training, The Commissioner of Public Safety
shall collaborate with other eovernmental and nonprofit oreanizations that have an interest
in law enforcement, fu-efightine. emereency care or response or emergency manaeement
or stress management in carrying out the purposes of this section. The commissioner shall
hire at least one full-time employee to oversee the implementation of this section _and_be
responsible for the coordination of incident stress managementservices and peer
team support services in the State, The duties of the employee must include, but are not
limited to: assisting with ru lemaking and coordination among providers; develooine reports
on and conducting assessments of critical incident stress manaeement services and peer
team support services provided throughout the State; collaborating with the Department of
Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Maine Emergency Management Agency;
and assisting in formine oai-tnerships between behavioral health organizations and different
public safety_agencies, private safety agencies and public safety answeringj2D_ints,_In
OYerseemg implementation of this section, the Commissioner of Public Safety shall. to the
0 extent appropriate, contract for traininp and ancillary services with emulovee oreanizations
of providers that have exoenenceand expertise in providing such training and services.
5. Consultation. For the purpose of implementing and overseeine critical incident
stress management services and peer team support services pursuant to this chapter, the
Commissioner of Public Safety shall, to the extent practicable, consult with the Director of
the Maine Emergency Management Agency within the Department of Defense. Veterans
and Emergency Manaeement. or the director's desienee; a representative from a provider
who is cuiTentlv trained as a_cntical mcident stress manaeement peer supDort r)erson;_an
exuert in the field of mental and behavioral health; and an expert m the coordination of
events following public disasters,
6. Rules. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall adopt rules to carry out the
Durooses of this section, Rules adopted pursuant^to this subse are routine technical
rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
P0S COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " ^
2023-24
0,000
$0
$0
2024-25
9,000
$919,522
$1,063,470
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"^" to H.P. 1121, L.D, 1742
Emergency IVtedical Services 0485
Initiative; Provides funding for one Program Director Management Analyst II position, 6
Human Services Caseworker Supervisor positions, one Office Associate II position, one
Contract/Grant Manager position and related costs to establish and administer critical
incident stress management teams and peer team support services,
GENERAL FUND
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT
Personal Services
All Other
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $1,982,992
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill and does the following,
1, It adds "private safety agencies" and "public safety answering points" to the
definition of "providers," requiring the agencies and answering points to offer critical
incident stress management services and peer team support services,
2, It allows providers to partner with an organization or other providers to provide the
required critical incident stress management services and peer team support services.
3, It charges the Commissioner of Public Safety instead of the Director of the Mame
Emergency Management Agency within the Department of Defense, Veterans and
Emergency Management with overseeing the implementation of the provisions in the
amendment, It also specifies that the commissioner may hire at least one person to take on
these duties,
4. It requires the Commissioner of Public Safety in implementing and overseeing the
requirements in the amendment to consult with the Director of the Maine Emergency
Management Agency, a critical incident stress management peer support person, an expert
in the field of mental and behavioral health and an expert in the coordination of events
following public disasters,
5. It adds peer team support services to the list of services covered under applicable
confidentiality rules.
6,It changes the standards established by rule by the Commissioner of Public Safety
5 for training critical incident stress management peer support persons from routine technical
to major substantive rules.
7. It makes other technical changes,
8 FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved: 03/05/24 ^K2'<=-
LD 1742 LR 2371(02)
An Act to Enhance the Use of Critical Incident Stress Management Teams and to Require Peer Team
Support
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
^ w-m)
Fiscal Note
Projections Projections
FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $0 $1,982,992 $1,964,008 $2,004,144
Appropriatfons/Allocations
General Fund $0 $1,982,992 $1,964,008 $2,004,144
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The bill includes a General Fund appropriation of $1,982,992 in fiscal year 2024-25 to the Department of Public
Safety for one Program Director Management Analyst II position, 6 Human Services Caseworker Supervisor
positions, one Office Associate II position, one Contract/Grant Manager position and related costs to establish and
administer critical incident stress management teams and peer support services.
LR2371(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1