Dauphin News

The Pennsylvania General Assembly has passed a bill sponsored by Senator Camera Bartolotta, which aims to provide first responders with access to workers' compensation benefits for post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI). The legislation is now awaiting enactment.

The bill covers firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics. It allows them to claim benefits under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation law for psychological traumas resulting from their work experiences. This includes both individual traumatic events and cumulative stressful experiences, even if there are no physical injuries that require medical treatment.

Currently, Pennsylvania law mandates that first responders must prove "objective abnormal working conditions" to establish a PTSI claim. This requirement often poses challenges for those seeking support.

Senator Bartolotta stated, “First responders commonly experience the most harrowing moments in others’ lives as part of their jobs. Because it’s typical for them – as opposed to something that would be very out of the ordinary for most other jobs – they are barred from accessing important care. We cannot continue to ask them to help us through extremely upsetting experiences without giving them crucial support.”

Senate Bill 365 proposes clearer criteria for establishing a PTSI claim. It requires a diagnosis from a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist according to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.

Bartolotta further explained, “We allocate resources to train, educate and prepare first responders to protect us and respond to crises but often fail to provide sufficient resources to support these individuals’ mental health. My bill would set reasonable standards to establish a workers’ compensation PTSI claim so our first responders receive the treatment they need and deserve.”

For more information, contact Katrina Hanna at 717-787-1463.