Committee hears supporters of H.270 say confidentiality would help first responders seek help

Lawmakers on the House Health Care Committee heard multiple witnesses on H.270, a bill that would extend confidentiality protections to peer-support communications used by first responders.

Bobby Arnell, director of a statewide peer-support program run by Invest EAP, described SECURE as a volunteer network launched with Department of Justice seed funding in 2021 that now includes roughly 60 peers statewide who provide short-term peer support and critical-incident stress debriefings and refer people to licensed counselors when needed.

"Secure began around 2021... we now have approximately a little over 60 peers that are part of the statewide network," Arnell said.

Capt. Deb Monson of the Vermont State Police, who oversees the VSP member assistance team, told the panel the team has clinician oversight, about 20 peer members and follows the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) model; she emphasized peers are not counselors and argued statutory confidentiality helps peers intervene without fear of employment consequences.

Committee members asked technical questions about program funding, liability and whether the bill’s language should avoid terms such as "counselor" so peer members aren’t mischaracterized. One lawmaker requested legislative counsel (and specifically HIPAA guidance) to clarify whether existing federal privacy law already covers communications in particular settings; staff were asked to incorporate agreed edits and return an updated draft.

What’s next: The committee set the item for markup next Thursday for possible passage on the floor, pending incorporation of language clarifications and legislative counsel’s legal guidance.

Why it matters: Witnesses told the committee that first responders face higher rates of substance use and suicide than the general population and that timely, confidential peer intervention can prevent worse outcomes and make clinicians’ referrals more effective.