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Committee makes permanent a pilot mental-health program for first responders
Summary
A committee advanced House Bill 1505, which makes permanent a pilot program offering mental-health treatment to first responders who experience traumatic events. Sponsor said the pilot worked and stakeholders support continuation and permanence.
Sen. Tucker presented House Bill 1505 — a bill continuing and making permanent a pilot program that funds mental-health treatment for first responders who suffer traumatic events. Tucker described the program as a pilot enacted two years earlier with a sunset date; the bill would make the program permanent following what he said was a successful trial.
Tucker told the committee that municipal leagues and first-responder organizations support the change and that counties and municipalities have partnered with providers during the pilot. "The program worked as we hoped that it would and we need to continue it so this is just we tested it. It worked. This is making it permanent," Tucker said.
No opponents signed up to speak and the committee passed the measure by voice vote after a brief discussion. The bill does not appear to create a new funding source in the committee testimony; sponsors said partners and existing structures supported the continuation.
