Behavioral Health Crisis Response. Mobile rapid response crisis team means a team that provides professional on-site community-based intervention such as outreach, de-escalation, stabilization, resource connection, and follow-up support for individuals who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis, that shall include certified peer counselors.
Community-based crisis team means a team that is part of an emergency medical services agency, a fire service agency, a public health agency, a medical facility, a nonprofit crisis response provider, or a city or county government entity, other than a law enforcement agency, that provides the on-site community-based interventions of a mobile rapid response crisis team for individuals who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
Co-Response Method Model. The co-responder model of criminal justice pairs law enforcement and behavioral health specialists to intervene and respond to behavioral health-related calls for police service. These teams utilize the combined expertise of the officer and the behavioral health specialist to de-escalate situations and help link individuals with behavioral health issues to appropriate services.
In 2022, the Legislature passed SSB 5644, which directed the University of Washington to establish training and develop model curricula for co-response team personnel; host an annual conference for co-responders; and develop an assessment of co-response capacity, training practices, data systems, and funding strategies.
Privileged Communications. First Responder. For purposes of privileged communications, a first responder means:
Peer Supporter. A peer supporter includes a first responder, a Department of Corrections staff person, or a jail staff person, among others, who have received training to provide emotional and moral support and services to a peer support services recipient needing those services, either because of traumatic incidents they have experienced in their official capacities, or to deal with stress that is impacting their performance of official duties.
A peer supporter may be a nonemployee who has been designated by the first responder entity or agency, local jail, or state agency, to provide those services.
Peer Support Services Recipient. A peer support services recipient means a first responder, a Department of Corrections staff person, or a jail staff person.
Disqualification of Witnesses. No peer supporter may be compelled to testify about any communication made by the peer support services recipient without their consent. The privilege only applies to communications made while the peer supporter was acting in their official capacity.
Workers' Compensation—Frontline Employees. Each worker injured in the course of the worker's employment is entitled to compensation. Occupational disease means disease or infection which arise naturally and proximately out of employment.
There is a prima facie presumption, for frontline employees, that any infectious or contagious diseases that are transmitted through respiratory droplets or aerosols, or through contact with contaminated surfaces and are the subject of a public health emergency, are occupational diseases during a public health emergency.
Frontline employees covered under this prima facie presumption include, among others, first responders, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical service providers, paramedics, and ambulance drivers.
Co-Response. Co-response means a multidisciplinary partnership between first responders and human services professionals that responds to emergency situations involving behavioral health crises and people experiencing complex medical needs.
Participants in co-response respond to in-progress 911 calls, 988 calls, and requests for service from dispatch and other first responders and include first responders such as public safety telecommunicators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics, and human services professionals such as social workers, behavioral health clinicians, advanced practice registered nurses, registered nurses, community health workers, and peer support specialists.
Privileged Communications. First Responder. For purposes of privileged communications, the definition of a first responder is expanded to include an individual engaged in co-response services.
The list of nonemployees who may be considered peer supporters is expanded to include the statewide organization focused on co-response outreach.
Workers' Compensation—Frontline Employees. The list of frontline employees covered by the prima facie presumption that an infectious or contagious disease contracted in the course of their employment is an occupational disease, is expanded to include members of first response teams engaged in co-response.