The Colorado Senate just passed a plan to expand workers’ comp to cover post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Though anyone could experience PTSD depending on their circumstances, people who work in jobs that regularly expose them to highly stressful, violent or otherwise dangerous situations are at risk of suffering this disorder.

The Colorado Senate has tried to get a version of this bill through the legislation for years but they had to find the right language to make sure that those who need care can get it, and those who are trying to take advantage of the system are prevented from doing so.

Representative Jonathan Singer said insurers did not like original versions of the bill, claiming the language was too broad and that might lead to abuse.

House Bill 1229 specifies the kinds of things that can trigger PTSD. Before, the state’s laws said that events that occurred outside of an employee’s usual work environment could qualify. But first responders like police officers see violence and dangers routinely so under the old legislation their claims may have been denied.

The bill defined “psychologically traumatic event” and “serious bodily injury” to make it easier to clarify whether someone’s PTSD qualified for workers’ comp. It also says that even if violence is a routine part of the job, if a worker experienced another person trying to harm or kill them they could qualify, or if the worker witnessed someone else’s violent death or serious injury they could also qualify. These are several factors that may cause someone to experience PTSD.

The bill will take effect July 1^st of 2018 if the governor signs off.