§4201. Definitions

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.   [PL 2009, c. 289, §1 (NEW).]

1.  Critical incident.  "Critical incident" means a work-related incident that causes or has the potential to cause an employee or member of a public safety agency or an organization involved in emergency care or response, a corrections officer as defined in section 2801‑A, subsection 2 or an employee of a county jail or a detention or correctional facility operated by the Department of Corrections to experience emotional or physical stress. "Critical incident" includes, but is not limited to, use-of-force encounters that may result in the death of or serious injury to another person or an officer, member or employee, fatal motor vehicle accidents, child abuse investigations, emergency care or response operations and death investigations.

[PL 2019, c. 89, §1 (AMD).]

1-A.  Critical incident stress management peer support.  "Critical incident stress management peer support" means services provided to an employee or member of a public safety agency or an organization involved in emergency care or response, a corrections officer as defined in section 2801‑A, subsection 2 or an employee of a county jail or a detention or correctional facility operated by the Department of Corrections when that person has been involved in a critical incident that can reasonably have a devastating, long‑lasting effect on that person. "Critical incident stress management peer support" includes assisting the employee, member or officer to appropriately process the trauma and stress and connecting that person to appropriate resources.

[PL 2019, c. 89, §2 (NEW).]

1-B.  Critical incident stress management peer support person.  "Critical incident stress management peer support person" means a person who provides critical incident stress management peer support and is trained in accordance with national best practices and standards established by rule by the Commissioner of Public Safety. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.

[PL 2019, c. 89, §2 (NEW).]

2.  Critical incident stress management team.  "Critical incident stress management team" means:

A. A team of critical incident stress management peer support persons designated by the chief or director of a public safety agency or of an organization involved in emergency care or response, the sheriff of a county jail or the head of a detention or correctional facility, or that person's designee; or   [PL 2019, c. 89, §3 (NEW).]

B. A volunteer team coordinator by a nonprofit entity that is trained, in accordance with national best practices and standards established by rule by the Commissioner of Public Safety, to assist and provide critical incident stress management peer support.   [PL 2019, c. 89, §3 (NEW).]

A critical incident stress management team shall have an established relationship with a licensed mental health clinician who is available for consultation with members of the critical incident stress management team as the members determine to be necessary and for at least one meeting annually with the team. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.

[PL 2019, c. 89, §3 (RPR).]

3.  Criminal justice agency.

[PL 2019, c. 89, §4 (RP).]

4.  Public safety agency.  "Public safety agency" has the same meaning as in section 2921, subsection 6‑B.

[PL 2019, c. 89, §5 (NEW).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 2009, c. 289, §1 (NEW). PL 2015, c. 112, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 89, §§1-5 (AMD).