St. Paul, MN – Representative Cheryl Youakim (DFL-Hopkins) passed a bill in the Minnesota House today updating Minnesota’s Hometown Heroes Assistance Program.
“Firefighters face cancer, cardiac issues, and mental health challenges at higher rates than the rest of us just for doing their jobs; jobs that we ask of them and that many of us are not willing or able to do,” said Rep. Youakim. “They work hard to keep us safe without hesitation and we need to have their backs. The Hometown Heroes Assistance Program is one of the ways we can care for those who care for us.”
In 2021, the Legislature created the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program to assist firefighters with critical illnesses and mental health care. Rep. Youakim's bill that passed today, HF 1163, clarifies that expenses related to peer-to-peer counseling are reimbursable under the program and ensures that firefighters across the state are eligible for two hours of training in understanding and mitigating the risk of job-related critical illnesses and emotional trauma.
The bill passed on a 132-0 vote.
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