Florida is expanding workers’ compensation coverage to cover post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for first responders like firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement officers and others. It goes into effect October 1st.
Senate bill 376 was sponsored by State Senator Dana Young and was passed by Governor Rick Scott in March this year. Before this bill, PTSD was only covered if a physical injury that required treatment was sustained in coordination with a workers’ mental injury.
“In our country, more first responders die from suicide than they do in the line of duty and that’s just unacceptable,” Young said. “So we are taking the first step to right that wrong.”
In addition to comp coverage, the bill requires employers of first responders to provide educational training that relates to mental health awareness, prevention, mitigation and treatment.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) estimates the fiscal impact of the bill on the state’s workers’ compensation system is around .2 percent, or $7 million.
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