For purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Confidential communication” means any information, including, but not limited to, written or oral communication, transmitted between law enforcement personnel, a peer support team member, or a crisis hotline or crisis referral service staff member while the peer support team member provides peer support services or the crisis hotline or crisis referral service staff member provides crisis services, and in confidence by a means that, as far as the law enforcement personnel is aware, does not disclose the information to third persons other than those who are present to further the interests of the law enforcement personnel in the delivery of peer support services or those to whom disclosures are reasonably necessary for the transmission of the information or an accomplishment of the purposes for which the peer support team member is providing services. “Confidential communication” does not include a communication in which the law enforcement personnel discloses the commission of a crime or a communication in which the law enforcement personnel’s intent to defraud or deceive an investigation into a critical incident is revealed.

(b) “Crisis referral services” include all public or private organizations that provide consultation and treatment resources for personal problems, including mental health issues, chemical dependency, domestic violence, gambling, financial problems, and other personal crises. Neither crisis referral services nor crisis hotlines include services provided by an employee association, labor relations representative, or labor relations organization, or any entity owned or operated by an employee association, labor relations representative, or labor relations organization.

(c) “Critical incident” means an event or situation that involves crisis, disaster, trauma, or emergency.

(d) “Critical incident stress” means the acute or cumulative psychological stress or trauma that law enforcement personnel may experience in providing emergency services in response to a critical incident. The stress or trauma is an unusually strong emotional, cognitive, behavioral, or physical reaction that may interfere with normal functioning and could lead to post-traumatic stress injuries, including, but not limited to, one or more of the following:

(1) Physical and emotional illness.

(2) Failure of usual coping mechanisms.

(3) Loss of interest in the job or normal life activities.

(4) Personality changes.

(5) Loss of ability to function.

(6) Psychological disruption of personal life, including their relationship with a spouse, child, or friend.

(e) “Law enforcement agency” means a local or regional department or agency, or any political subdivision thereof, that employs a peace officer, as defined in Section 830 of the Penal Code.

(f) “Law enforcement personnel” means an officer or employee of a local or regional law enforcement agency.

(g) “Peer support services” means authorized peer support services provided by a peer support team member to law enforcement personnel and their immediate families affected by a critical incident or the cumulative effect of witnessing multiple critical incidents. Peer support services assist those affected by a critical incident in coping with critical incident stress and mitigating reactions to critical incident stress. Peer support services may include one or more of the following:

(1) Precrisis education.

(2) Critical incident stress defusings.

(3) Critical incident stress debriefings.

(4) On-scene support services.

(5) One-on-one support services.

(6) Consultation.

(7) Referral services.

(8) Confidentiality obligations.

(9) The impact of toxic stress on health and well-being.

(10) Grief support.

(11) Substance abuse awareness and approaches.

(12) Active listening skills.

(h) “Peer support program” means a program administered by a law enforcement agency to deliver peer support services to law enforcement personnel.

(i) “Peer support team” means a law enforcement agency response team composed of peer support team members.

(j) “Peer support team member” means a law enforcement agency employee who has completed a peer support training course or courses pursuant to Section 8669.6. Agency selection criteria of peer support team members shall be incorporated into agency policies.

(Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 621, Sec. 1. (AB 1117) Effective January 1, 2020.)