Georgia § 35-2-163 - Peer counseling and critical incident support services; certification; employment of necessary staff.

§ 35-2-163. Peer counseling and critical incident support services; certification; employment of necessary staff.

The Office of Public Safety Support within the Department of Public Safety may respond to and provide peer counselors and critical incident support services to any requesting public entities that employ public safety officers. The office may respond to and provide peer counselors and critical incident support services for the benefit of public safety officers experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder or other trauma associated with public safety. The office shall develop a course of training in critical incident stress management and in any other related subject matter for the benefit of public safety officers. The support coordinator shall certify individuals, who shall be peer counselors, as having received training and demonstrated ability to provide emotional and moral support to public safety officers consistent with the purposes of this article. The support coordinator, with approval of the commissioner, may employ or retain persons as he or she deems necessary to serve as peer counselors and staff consistent with the purposes of this article. (Code 1981, § 35-2-163 , enacted by Ga. L. 2018, p. 716, § 2/HB 703; Ga. L. 2020, p. 671, § 4/HB 838.) The 2020 amendment, effective January 1, 2021, substituted "Office of Public Safety Support" for "Office of Public Safety Officer Support" in the first sentence of subsection (a).