Section 61B Wellness program for police officers and firefighters

Section 61B. Any city, town, district or other governmental unit which accepts the provisions of this section shall establish a wellness program for police officers and firefighters, if any, employed in such city, town, district or other governmental unit. Such wellness program shall be in accordance with the minimum requirements established by the department of public health pursuant to section two hundred and three of chapter one hundred and eleven. The commonwealth and any agencies or authorities thereof shall establish such programs for any police officers or firefighters employed by said commonwealth, agencies or authorities and shall be deemed to have accepted this section for the purposes of section sixty-one A. Any city, town, district, or other governmental unit, but not including the commonwealth, its agencies or authorities, which accepts the provisions of this section and provides wellness programs pursuant thereto shall be reimbursed for the lesser of (i) one-half the costs thereof or (ii) an amount equal to one hundred dollars per employee, by the commonwealth, upon certification by the secretary of public safety. Said secretary shall certify the amount of such reimbursement to be paid to such city, town, district, or other governmental unit from information filed on or before September first of each year with said secretary by the appointing authority.