Legislation to expand workers’ compensation benefits to include post-traumatic stress disorder for firefighters, paramedics, EMTs and other first responders unanimously passed its first Senate committee in Tallahassee last week.
PTSD is currently only fully covered by workers’ comp if a mental injury is accompanied by a physical injury that requires medical treatment. Advocates say the suicide rate among first responders is higher than the rate among the general population, and that expanding workers’ comp coverage for mental health issues like PTSD would bring that number down.
We’re joined now by Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, who is also the state Fire Marshall; John Correnti with the City of Fort Myers Fire Department; and Commissioner Kevin Gerrity with the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.