PRINTER'S NO. 3455
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2469
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY BOROWSKI, KHAN, PROKOPIAK, KINSEY, OTTEN,
SCHLOSSBERG, GIRAL, WAXMAN, MUNROE, McNEILL, WEBSTER,
NEILSON, SIEGEL, SANCHEZ, KIM, CURRY, PROBST, PARKER, O'MARA,
CERRATO AND DALEY, JUNE 28, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JUNE 28, 2024
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 of Title 35 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is 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.
(2) The emergency responder has given express consent to
disclose information.
(3) The emergency responder is deceased and the
surviving spouse or the executor or administrator of the
estate of the deceased emergency responder has given express
consent.
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
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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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