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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill amends the First Responder Mental Health Services Grant Program (program).
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ defines terms;
14 ▸ amends eligibility for the program;
15 ▸ expands institutions at which a recipient may use a grant under the program;
16 ▸ amends the computation of the grant amount;
17 ▸ modifies the Utah Board of Higher Education's responsibilities related to accepting
18 applications for the programs; and
19 ▸ makes technical changes.
20 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
21 None
22 Other Special Clauses:
23 None
24 Utah Code Sections Affected:
25 AMENDS:
26 53B-8-117, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 74
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28 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
29 Section 1. Section 53B-8-117 is amended to read:
30 53B-8-117. First Responder Mental Health Services Grant Program.
31 (1) As used in this section:
32 (a) "First responder" means an individual who works in Utah as:
33 (i) a law enforcement officer, as defined in Section 53-13-103;
34 (ii) an emergency medical technician, as defined in Section 53-2e-101;
35 (iii) an advanced emergency medical technician, as defined in Section 53-2e-101;
36 (iv) a paramedic, as defined in Section 53-2e-101;
37 (v) a firefighter, as defined in Section 34A-3-113;
38 (vi) a dispatcher, as defined in Section 53-6-102;
39 (vii) a correctional officer, as defined in Section 53-13-104;
40 (viii) a special function officer, as defined in Section 53-13-105, employed by a local
41 sheriff;
42 (ix) a search and rescue worker under the supervision of a local sheriff;
43 (x) a forensic interviewer or victim advocate employed by a children's justice center
44 established in accordance with Section 67-5b-102;
45 (xi) a credentialed criminal justice system victim advocate as defined in Section
46 77-38-403 who responds to incidents with a law enforcement officer;
47 (xii) a crime scene investigator technician;
48 (xiii) a wildland firefighter;
49 (xiv) an investigator or prosecutor of cases involving sexual crimes against children; or
50 (xv) a civilian employee of a first responder agency who has been authorized to view
51 or otherwise access information concerning crimes, accidents, or other traumatic events.
52 (b) "First responder agency" means the same as that term is defined in Section
53 53-21-101.
54 (c) "First responder volunteer" means:
55 (i) an individual who donates services as a first responder to a first responder agency
56 located in Utah without pay or other compensation except:
57 (A) expenses that the individual actually and reasonably incurs as the supervising first
58 responder agency approves; and
59 (B) health insurance that a participant in the Volunteer Emergency Medical Service
60 Personnel Health Insurance Program described in Section 26-8a-603 receives; or
61 (ii) a volunteer firefighter who is not regularly employed as a firefighter service
62 employee, but who:
63 (A) has received training in firefighter techniques and skills;
64 (B) continues to receive regular firefighter training; and
65 (C) is on the rolls of a legally organized volunteer fire department that provides
66 ongoing training and serves a political subdivision of the state.
67 (d) "Retiree" means the same as that term is defined in Section 49-11-102.
68 (2) This section creates the First Responder Mental Health Services Grant Program.
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70 award a grant to an applicant who:
71 (a) is a [
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77 worked as a first responder in the state; and
78 (b) is seeking a post-secondary degree or certification to become a mental health
79 therapist, as that term is defined in Section 58-60-102, from:
80 (i) an institution of higher education within the state system of higher education,
81 described in Section 53B-1-102; or
82 (ii) a private, nonprofit institution of higher education in the state that is accredited by
83 the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
84 [
85 applicant [
86 between:
87 (i) the total cost of tuition and fees for the program in which the recipient is enrolled;
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89 (ii) the total value of all other grants, tuition waivers, fee waivers, and scholarships that
90 the recipient receives to attend the institution.
91 (b) A grant award under Subsection [
92 (i) a maximum of $6,000 each academic year; and
93 (ii) a maximum of four academic years.
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95 grants, employment, and family and individual contributions toward financing the cost of
96 attendance.
97 (6) The board shall:
98 (a) select two periods during each calendar year to accept applications for the program;
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100 (b) accept applications for no fewer than 30 days during each period described in
101 Subsection (6)(a).
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103 Administrative Rulemaking Act, to:
104 (i) set deadlines for receiving grant applications and supporting documentation; and
105 (ii) establish the application process and an appeal process for the First Responder
106 Mental Health Services Grant Program.
107 (b) The board shall include a disclosure on all applications and related materials that
108 the amount of the awarded grants may be subject to funding or be reduced, in accordance with
109 Subsection [
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111 appropriation from the Income Tax Fund to the board for the costs associated with the First
112 Responder Mental Health Services Grant Program authorized under this section.
113 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the appropriation under this
114 section is insufficient to cover the costs associated with the First Responder Mental Health
115 Services Grant Program, the board may:
116 (i) reduce the amount of a grant; or
117 (ii) distribute grants on a pro rata basis to all eligible applicants who submitted a
118 complete application before the application deadline.
119 Section 2. Effective date.
120 This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.