#aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cdcd ,,an ,,act ,to make ,federal law enforcement officer peer support communications confidential1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,confidentiality ,opportunities for ,peer ,support ,counseling ,act or the ,,cops ,counseling ,act4 #b4 ,confidentiality of peer support communications 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,law enforcement agency ,the term law enforcement agency means a ,federal agency that employs a law enforcement officer4 7#b7 ,law enforcement officer ,the term law enforcement officer has the meaning given the term ,federal law enforcement officer in section #aae of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#c7 ,peer support communication ,the term peer support communication includes-- 7,a7 an oral or written communication made in the course of a peer support counseling session2 7,b7 a note or report arising out of a peer support counseling session2 7,c7 a record of a peer support counseling session2 or 7,d7 with respect to a communication made by a peer support participant in the course of a peer support counseling session1 another communication1 regarding the first communication1 that is made between a peer support specialist and-- 7i7 another peer support specialist2 7ii7 a staff member of a peer support counseling program2 or 7iii7 a supervisor of the peer support specialist4 7#d7 ,peer support counseling program ,the term peer support counseling program means a program provided by a law enforcement agency that provides counseling services from a peer support specialist to a law enforcement officer of the agency4 7#e7 ,peer support counseling session ,the term peer support counseling session means any counseling formally provided through a peer support counseling program between a peer support specialist and one or more law enforcement officers4 7#f7 ,peer support participant ,the term peer support participant means a law enforcement officer who receives counseling services from a peer support specialist4 7#g7 ,peer support specialist ,the term peer support specialist means a law enforcement officer who-- 7,a7 has received training in-- 7i7 peer support counseling2 and 7ii7 providing emotional and moral support to law enforcement officers who have been involved in or exposed to an emotionally traumatic experience in the course of employment2 and 7,b7 is designated by a law enforcement agency to provide the services described in subparagraph 7,a74 7b7 ,prohibition ,except as provided in subsection 7c71 a peer support specialist or a peer support participant may not disclose the contents of a peer support communication to an individual who was not a party to the peer support communication4 7c7 ,exceptions ,subsection 7b7 shall not apply to a peer support communication if-- 7#a7 the peer support communication contains-- 7,a7 an explicit threat of suicide2 7,b7 an explicit threat of imminent and serious physical bodily harm or death to a clearly identified or identifiable individual2 7,c7 information-- 7i7 relating to the abuse or neglect of-- 7,i7 a child2 or 7,,ii7 an older or vulnerable individual2 or 7ii7 that is required by law to be reported2 or 7,d7 an admission of criminal conduct2 7#b7 the disclosure is permitted by each peer support participant who was a party to1 as applicable-- 7,a7 the peer support communication2 7,b7 the peer support counseling session out of which the peer support communication arose2 7,c7 the peer support counseling session of which the peer support communication is a record2 or 7,d7 the communication made in the course of a peer support counseling session that the peer support communication is regarding2 or 7#c7 a court of competent jurisdiction issues an order or subpoena requiring the disclosure of the peer support communication4 7d7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in subsection 7b7 shall be construed to prohibit the disclosure of-- 7#a7 an observation made by a law enforcement officer of a peer support participant outside of a peer support counseling session2 or 7#b7 knowledge of a law enforcement officer about a peer support participant not gained from a peer support communication4 7e7 ,disclosure of rights ,before the initial peer support counseling session of a peer support participant1 a peer support specialist shall inform the peer support participant in writing of the confidentiality requirement under subsection 7b7 and the exceptions to the requirement under subsection 7c74 #c4 ,best practices and support 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,first responder ,the term first responder has the meaning given the term public safety officer in section #abjd of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajbhd74 7#b7 ,first responder agency ,the term first responder agency means a ,federal1 ,state1 local1 or ,tribal agency that employs or otherwise engages the services of a first responder4 7#c7 ,peer support counseling program ,the term peer support counseling program means a program provided by a first responder agency that provides counseling services from a peer support specialist to a first responder of the first responder agency4 7#d7 ,peer support participant ,the term peer support participant means a first responder who receives counseling services from a peer support specialist4 7#e7 ,peer support specialist ,the term peer support specialist means a first responder who-- 7,a7 has received training in-- 7i7 peer support counseling2 and 7ii7 providing emotional and moral support to first responders who have been involved in or exposed to an emotionally traumatic experience in the course of the duties of the first responder2 and 7,b7 is designated by a first responder agency to provide the services described in subparagraph 7,a74 7b7 ,report on best practices ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,attorney ,general1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 shall develop a report on best practices and professional standards for peer support counseling programs for first responder agencies that includes-- 7#a7 advice on-- 7,a7 establishing and operating peer support counseling programs2 and 7,b7 training and certifying peer support specialists2 7#b7 a code of ethics for peer support specialists2 7#c7 recommendations for continuing education for peer support specialists2 7#d7 advice on disclosing to first responders any confidentiality rights of peer support participants2 and 7#e7 information on-- 7,a7 the different types of peer support counseling programs in use by first responder agencies2 7,b7 any differences in peer support counseling programs offered across categories of first responders2 and 7,c7 the important role senior first responders play in supporting access to mental health resources4 7c7 ,implementation ,the ,attorney ,general shall support and encourage the implementation of peer support counseling programs in first responder agencies by-- 7#a7 making the report developed under subsection 7b7 publicly available on the website of the ,department of ,justice2 and 7#b7 providing a list of peer support specialist training programs on the website of the ,department of ,justice4 ,passed the ,senate ,may #ad1 #bjbj4,secretary