Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1998 3
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By: Representative Torres 5
By: Senator Dees 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO CREATE THE JAMES MCFERRON MENTAL HEALTH, 9
WELLNESS, AND RESILIENCY ACT; TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO 10
SERVICES AND TRAINING TO FIRST RESPONDERS; TO PROVIDE 11
AND PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH, LEADERSHIP, WELLNESS, AND 12
RESILIENCY PROGRAMS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS ACROSS THE 13
STATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 14
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Subtitle 17
TO CREATE THE JAMES MCFERRON MENTAL 18
HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND RESILIENCY ACT; 19
AND TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND 20
TRAINING TO FIRST RESPONDERS. 21
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 23
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 12, Chapter 1, is amended to add an 25
additional subchapter to read as follows: 26
Subchapter 2 — James McFerron Mental Health, Wellness, and Resiliency Act 27
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12-1-201. Title. 29
This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the "James McFerron 30
Mental Health, Wellness, and Resiliency Act". 31
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12-1-202. Legislative findings and intent. 33
(a) The General Assembly finds that: 34
(1) Mental health conditions affect a significant portion of 35
first responders across the state and have long -term impacts on first 36 HB1998
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responders, their families, and the communities they serve; 1
(2) Increased training for peer -to-peer support and access to 2
mental health, leadership, wellness, and resiliency programs and services 3
lead to better mental and physical wellness in our first responders across 4
the state; 5
(3) Mental health, leadership, wellness, and resiliency training 6
and education programs improve a first responder's ability to cope with 7
stress, both on and off duty, trauma, and adversity; and 8
(4) A coordinated effort is needed to address first responder 9
mental health, leadership, wellness, and resiliency disparities amongst 10
state, county, and local agencies and to promote mental health, leadership, 11
wellness, and resiliency. 12
(b) The General Assembly intends this act to provide for mental 13
health, leadership, wellness, and resiliency training programs, services, and 14
resources to be accessible to all first responders across the state, 15
promoting holistic wellness. 16
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12-1-203. Definitions. 18
As used in this subchapter: 19
(1) “Certified peer support member” means a first responder, a 20
retired first responder, or a chaplain who has received training in providing 21
peer-to-peer support and been certified by the Department of Public Safety to 22
provide peer-to-peer support to other first responders; 23
(2) “Chaplain” means a member of the clergy; 24
(3) “First responder” means a person with specialized training 25
who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance or incident 26
resolution at the scene of an emergency, including without limitation a 27
certified law enforcement officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical 28
services provider, a public safety or emergency medical dispatcher, and an 29
employee of a correctional facility; and 30
(4) "Peer-to-peer support" includes without limitation 31
trainings, programs, resources, and emotional and moral support in subjects 32
including without limitation mental health, leadership, wellness, resiliency, 33
and critical incident stress management. 34
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12-1-204. Expansion of mental health services. 36 HB1998
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The Department of Public Safety shall develop and provide to first 1
responders in every region of the state: 2
(1) Training to become a certified peer support member; and 3
(2) Programs and resources on subjects including without 4
limitation mental health, leadership, wellness, resiliency, and critical 5
incident stress management. 6
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12-1-205. Peer-to-peer support network. 8
(a) The Department of Public Safety shall: 9
(1) Establish a peer -to-peer support network consisting of 10
volunteers who are certified peer support members; 11
(2) Designate an employee of the department to serve as the 12
coordinator for the peer -to-peer support network; and 13
(3) Work to ensure that members of the peer -to-peer support 14
network are located throughout the state. 15
(b) The department shall coordinate with the members of the peer -to-16
peer network to: 17
(1) Provide peer-to-peer support to a requesting agency that 18
employs a first responder; and 19
(2) Ensure that peer -to-peer support is accessible to a first 20
responder in the state, regardless of location. 21
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12-1-206. Reporting. 23
The Department of Public Safety shall provide an annual report to the 24
Governor and Legislative Council summarizing the department's activities 25
under this subchapter. 26
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