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First‑responder groups push for workers’ comp coverage of PTSD; supporters cite suicide prevention and treatment access
Summary
Proponents told the House Business and Labor Committee that House Bill 5 52 would treat post‑traumatic stress disorder resulting from work‑related traumatic events as a compensable injury for first responders, expanding access to treatment; self‑insurer groups warned of long‑term costs and broader fiscal impacts.
Representative James Reavis introduced House Bill 5 52, which would provide workers’ compensation coverage for post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) arising in the course and scope of certain first‑responder employment. The sponsor described the bill as a narrowly tailored measure to secure treatment access for firefighters, law enforcement officers, dispatchers and emergency medical personnel after traumatic events.
Proponents — including the Montana State Firefighters Association, the Montana Police Foundation, Montana Professional Firefighters, the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, chiefs and chaplains, treatment providers and a state retirement representative — described a range of…
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