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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 15, 2019 01:52 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Stephen Barrar |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Workers Comp Benefits and PTSI |
| In the near future, I will once again be introducing a bill to expand post-traumatic stress injury benefits for first responders in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This prior legislation was HB 2664, which was introduced at the tail end of last session. Under the bill, police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics would be entitled to benefits under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Law for psychological injuries arising from their employment, or after four years or more of service, regardless of whether the injury is accompanied by physical injuries requiring medical treatment. First responders witness people and their families as they experience the worst moments of their lives and this can trigger mental health problems. Other times, work-related psychological conditions result from cumulative exposure to trauma. Post-traumatic injuries cause real harm that we need to recognize and we need to use the workers’ compensation system to assist our first responders in addressing that trauma. If you believe that we have a duty to protect those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect us, please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB432