Bill > HF1163

This bill clarifies and expands the scope of Minnesota's hometown heroes assistance program for firefighters by making several key modifications to the existing program administered by the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative. The bill adds a requirement for peer-to-peer support within the existing psychotherapy program for firefighters, adjusts language around annual training requirements from "annually provide" to "annually make available," and ensures that training on critical illnesses and emotional trauma will be updated and presented by specially trained firefighter trainers. The program continues to provide critical elements such as monetary support payments for firefighters diagnosed with critical illnesses after August 1, 2021, up to five free psychotherapy sessions per year, and training on occupational risks like cancer, heart disease, and emotional trauma. The bill also adds suicide prevention strategies and emotional wellness promotion to the training curriculum. The changes aim to provide comprehensive support for firefighters' physical and mental health, with the amendments becoming effective the day after final enactment.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF1163&ssn=0&y=2025