Sec. 1. The following definitions apply throughout this chapter:

(1) "Critical incident" means an actual or perceived event or situation that involves crisis, disaster, trauma, or emergency.

(2) "Critical incident stress" means the acute or cumulative psychological stress or trauma that an emergency responder may experience in providing emergency services in response to a critical incident. The stress or trauma is an unusually strong emotional, cognitive, behavioral, or physical reaction that may interfere with normal functioning by causing:

(A) physical and emotional injury or illness;

(B) failure of a usual coping mechanism;

(C) loss of interest in work or normal life activities;

(D) loss of ability to function; or

(E) psychological disruption of personal life, including the emergency responder's relationship with a spouse, child, relative, or friend.

(3) "Critical incident stress management services" or "CISM services" include programs and services related to education, prevention, and mitigation of the effects from exposure to highly stressful critical incidents. The term includes services provided by an individual certified to provide group crisis intervention, individual crisis intervention, peer support, or any related service.

(4) "Critical incident stress management services provider" or "CISM services provider" means an individual who is certified to provide CISM services and who is acting as part of a CISM team or in another official capacity.

(5) "Critical incident stress management team" or "CISM team" means an organized community or local crisis response team that is trained and certified under standards substantially similar to the training and certification standards established by the Indiana emergency medical services commission as set forth under IC 16-31-2.

(6) "Emergency responder" means an individual who provides emergency response services, including:

(A) a law enforcement officer;

(B) a corrections officer;

(C) a firefighter;

(D) an emergency medical services provider;

(E) a dispatcher;

(F) an emergency response communication employee;

(G) emergency management personnel; or

(H) a rescue service provider.

As added by P.L.137-2017, SEC.2.