 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
stress management pilot program; appropriation
Purpose
Appropriates $950,000 in FY 2027 from the state General Fund (state GF) to the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST) to establish a law enforcement stress management pilot program (pilot program) to provide mental health and wellness training and resources and prescribes instruction and reporting requirements for the program.
Background
AZPOST must, among other responsibilities: 1) prescribe reasonable minimum qualifications for officers to be appointed to enforce the laws of Arizona and its political subdivisions and certify officers in compliance with the qualifications; 2) prescribe courses of training minimum standards for training facilities for law enforcement officers; and 3) make inquiries to determine whether the state and political subdivisions are adhering to the standards of recruitment, appointment and training (A.R.S. § 41-1822).
An academy that conducts AZPOST-prescribed basic training courses must use curricula that meet minimum course requirements for basic courses of instruction. Topics in the basic training course serving as an introduction to law enforcement must include criminal justice systems, the history of law enforcement, law enforcement services, supervision and management, ethics and professionalism and stress management (A.A.C. R13-4-116).
S.B. 1391 appropriates $950,000 in FY 2027 from the state GF to AZPOST.
Provisions
1. Requires AZPOST to establish and operate a pilot program.
2. Allows AZPOST to select one nonprofit organization based in Arizona to develop and deliver a comprehensive and proactive mental wellness training program and provide associated mental wellness and mental health resources for peace officers.
3. Stipulates that an eligible nonprofit must:
a) be headquartered and continuously operated in Arizona;
b) demonstrate a minimum of five consecutive years of experience providing proactive and preventative mental wellness, stress resiliency and suicide prevention training specifically designed for sworn law enforcement officers;
c) demonstrate a minimum of five consecutive years of experience providing mental wellness and stress coaching and structured peer-support services anonymously to peace officers and first responders;
d) demonstrate a core mission and primary focus dedicated to the law enforcement lifestyle's proactive mental wellness, injury-informed stress response and suicide prevention;
e) provide training and services that emphasize proactive preventative and peer-supported mental wellness approaches, rather than post-incident clinical treatment or a generalized employee assistance programming; and
f) demonstrate the organizational capacity to provide statewide training to all AZPOST basic academy classes and to peace officers who are employed by a law enforcement agency in Arizona, including:
i. providing a network of at least 15 certified instructors; and
ii. establishing operational infrastructure to support multijurisdictional training delivery.
4. Requires the pilot program to use a proactive, preventative approach to stress and resilience using education, skills-based training and early identification and facilitated discussion of stressors that are unique to the law enforcement profession and its cumulative and operational impacts on:
a) individual peace officers, including mental wellness performance, decision-making and long-term occupational health;
b) law enforcement officers' families, including secondary stress exposure, relationship dynamics and family resilience;
c) law enforcement agencies, including workforce readiness, retention, morale and organizational health; and
d) the public, including community interactions, officer safety and public trust.
5. Specifies that the pilot program must include instruction on stress fundamentals, including:
a) occupational stressors unique to the law enforcement profession;
b) types of stress, including beneficial and harmful stress, hypo-stress and hyper-stress responses; and
c) cumulative stress reactions, such as post-traumatic stress, post-traumatic stress injury and post-traumatic stress growth.
6. Specifies that the pilot program must include instruction on the use of occupational stress empirical data, including statistical trends related to divorce, suicide, substance abuse disorders and stress-related outcomes among peace officers and the relationship between occupational stress exposure and long-term wellness outcomes in law enforcement.
7. Specifies that the pilot program must include instruction on how stress on law enforcement officers impacts families, including:
a) the effects of law enforcement work on personal and family relationships;
b) the importance of educating spouses and family members regarding occupational stress and the manifestations of stress; and
c) how to provide communication strategies that support healthy relationships and family resilience.
8. Specifies that the pilot program must include instruction on the association of stress and critical incidents, including:
a) agencies' responsibilities and best practices after critical incidents;
b) physiological and psychological impacts of officer-involved shootings; and
c) other high-risk events and post-incident recovery, including peer support considerations and available mental wellness and mental health resources.
9. Specifies that the pilot program must include instruction on identification and recognition of post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress injury, including:
a) cognitive, emotional, physical and behavioral indicators of post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress injury;
b) chronic and acute stress manifestations, acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress;
c) the effects of prolonged adrenaline exposure; and
d) risk factors and early prevention strategies related to suicide by law enforcement officers.
10. Specifies that the pilot program must include instruction on individual strategies and responsibilities, including:
a) personal responsibility in stress management and mental wellness;
b) how exercise, nutrition and sleep affect stress, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress injury; and
c) nonpharmacological and pharmacological considerations, including appropriate referral pathways.
11. Requires AZPOST, by January 1, 2029, to submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State, containing:
a) participation levels and agency representation in the pilot program;
b) a summary of the pilot program's course content and delivery;
c) any participation feedback and outcome measures;
d) attendance of and retention in the pilot program and morale and wellness indicators, if available; and
e) recommendations regarding continuation, expansion or modification of the pilot program.
12. Repeals the pilot program on July 1, 2029.
13. Appropriates $950,000 in FY 2027 from the state GF to AZPOST to establish and operate the pilot program.
14. Stipulates that the appropriation must be used solely for costs associated with the implementation of the pilot program, including:
a) curriculum development, instructional design and training materials;
b) instructor compensation, including preparation and delivery times;
c) in-person training delivery;
d) program administration costs incurred by AZPOST;
e) anonymous, nonclinical stress coaching that is focused on education, prevention, resiliency and stress-navigation related to the law enforcement officer's lifestyle; and
f) program evaluation, data collection and reporting related to program outcomes and effectiveness.
15. Specifies that the outlined nonclinical stress coaching includes optional referral pathways to appropriate resources for:
a) newly hired peace officer recruits while enrolled in a basic law enforcement academy; and
b) immediate family members of peace officer recruits during the period of law enforcement academy attendance.
16. Exempts the appropriation from lapsing.
17. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 2, 2026
KJA/SDR/hk