BILL REQ. #:  S-1793.2 

READ FIRST TIME 02/23/09.   

     AN ACT Relating to crisis referral services for criminal justice and correctional personnel; and adding new sections to chapter 43.101 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The commission shall offer a training session on personal crisis recognition and crisis intervention services to criminal justice, correctional personnel, and other public safety employees. The training shall be implemented by the commission in consultation with appropriate public and private organizations that have expertise in crisis referral services and in the underlying conditions leading to the need for crisis referral.
     (2) The training shall consist of a minimum of one hour of classroom or internet instruction, and shall include instruction on the following subjects:
     (a) The description and underlying causes of problems that may have an impact on the personal and professional lives of public safety employees, including mental health issues, chemical dependency, domestic violence, financial problems, and other personal crises;
     (b) Techniques by which public safety employees may recognize the conditions listed in (a) of this subsection and understand the need to seek assistance and obtain a referral for consultation and possible treatment; and
     (c) A listing of examples of public and private crisis referral agencies available to public safety employees.
     (3) The training developed by the commission shall be made available by the commission to all employees of state and local agencies that perform public safety duties. The commission may charge a reasonable fee to defer the cost of making the training available.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) All communications to crisis referral services by employees and volunteers of law enforcement, correctional, firefighting, and emergency services agencies, and all records related to the communications, shall be confidential. Crisis referral services include all public or private organizations that advise employees and volunteers of such agencies about sources of consultation and treatment for personal problems including mental health issues, chemical dependency, domestic violence, gambling, financial problems, and other personal crises.
     (2) A crisis referral service may reveal information related to crisis referral services to prevent reasonably certain death, substantial bodily harm, or commission of a crime.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   Sections 1 and 2 of this act are each added to chapter 43.101 RCW.