Section 903 – Creation — Training — Communications — Exclusions.

• (1) A law enforcement agency, fire department, emergency medical service agency, or rescue unit:
  • (a) may create a peer support team; and
  • (b) if a peer support team is created, shall develop guidelines for the peer support team and its members.

• (2) A peer support team member shall complete a peer support training program approved by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Division, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, or the Department of Health and Human Services, as applicable.

• (3) In accordance with the Utah Rules of Evidence, a peer support team member may refuse to disclose communications made by a person participating in peer support services, including group therapy sessions.

• (4) Subsection (3) applies only to communications made during individual interactions conducted by a peer support team member who is:
  • (a) acting in the member’s capacity as a law enforcement or firefighter peer support team member or an emergency medical service provider or rescue unit peer support team member; and
  • (b) functioning within the written peer support guidelines that are in effect for the member’s respective law enforcement agency, fire department, emergency medical service agency, or rescue unit.

• (5) This part does not apply if:
  • (a) a law enforcement or firefighter peer support team member or emergency medical service provider or rescue unit peer support team member was a witness or a party to the incident that prompted the delivery of peer support services;
  • (b) information received by a peer support team member is indicative of actual or suspected child abuse, or actual or suspected child neglect;
  • (c) the person receiving peer support is a clear and immediate danger to the person’s self or others;
  • (d) communication to a peer support team member establishes reasonable cause for the peer support team member to believe that the person receiving peer support services is mentally or emotionally unfit for duty; or
  • (e) communication to the peer support team member provides evidence that the person who is receiving the peer support services has committed a crime, plans to commit a crime, or intends to conceal a crime.

Amended by Chapter 255, 2022 General Session