Bill Would Provide Paid Trauma Counseling for First Responders

A bill in West Virginia would require employers to provide paid traumatic event counseling to peace officers, firefighters and 911 dispatchers exposed to certain critical incidents in the line of duty. HB 5428 would add a section to state law directing the Law-Enforcement Professional Standards Subcommittee to establish a program offering up to 12 visits of licensed counseling per qualifying incident. Counseling would be employer-paid and could be in-person or by telehealth. Qualifying events include witnessing death or maiming, investigating dangerous crimes against children, being involved...