Emergency medical technicians: peer support.

Existing law establishes a statewide system for emergency medical services (EMS) and establishes the Emergency Medical Services Authority, which is responsible for establishing training, scope of practice, and continuing education for emergency medical technicians and other prehospital personnel. Existing law authorizes a public fire agency or law enforcement agency to establish a peer support and crisis referral program, to provide a network of peer representatives who are available to come to the aid of their fellow employees on a broad range of emotional or professional issues. This bill would authorize an EMS provider to establish a peer support and crisis referral program to provide a network of peer representatives available to aid fellow employees on emotional or professional issues. The bill would provide that EMS personnel, whether or not a party to an action, have a right to refuse to disclose, and to prevent another from disclosing, a confidential communication between the EMS personnel and a peer support team member, crisis hotline, or crisis referral service, except under limited circumstances, including, among others, if disclosure is reasonably believed to be necessary to prevent death, substantial bodily harm, or commission of a crime, or in a civil or criminal proceeding. The bill would also provide that, except for an action for medical malpractice, a peer support team member and the EMS provider that employs them are not liable for damages, as specified, relating to an act, error, or omission in performing peer support services, unless the act, error, or omission constitutes gross negligence or intentional misconduct. To be eligible for these confidentiality protections, the bill would require a peer support team member to complete a training course or courses on peer support approved by the EMS provider.