---
title: O.C.G.A. § 35-2-163. Peer counseling and critical incident support services; certification; employment of necessary staff.
collection: code
id: 35-2-163
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 35-2-163 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/35-2-163
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/35-2-163.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/35-2-163/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t35-t36-ch1-59-(v27)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=66569db4_0#page=97
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/35-2.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND AGENCIES / DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY / OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY SUPPORT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 35-2-163. Peer counseling and critical incident support services; certification; employment of necessary staff.

(a) The Office of Public Safety Support within the department may respond to and provide peer counselors and critical incident support services to any requesting public entities that employ public safety officers. The office may respond to and provide peer counselors and critical incident support services for the benefit of public safety officers experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder or other trauma associated with public safety. The office shall develop a course of training in critical incident stress management and in any other related subject matter for the benefit of public safety officers.

(b) The support coordinator shall certify individuals, who shall be peer counselors, as having received training and demonstrated ability to provide emotional and moral support to public safety officers consistent with the purposes of this article.

(c) The support coordinator, with approval of the commissioner, may employ or retain persons as he or she deems necessary to serve as peer counselors and staff consistent with the purposes of this article.

## History

Code 1981, § 35-2-163, enacted by Ga. L. 2018, p. 716, § 2/HB 703; Ga. L. 2020, p. 671, § 4/HB 838; Ga. L. 2025, p. 1029, § 35(42)(P)/SB 153, effective July 1, 2025.

## Amendments

The 2025 amendment, effective July 1, 2025, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, substituted “department” for “Department of Public Safety” in subsection (a).