State establishes firefighter PTSD reimbursement grant program under James Dustin Samples Act; committee recommends approval

The Department of Labor and Workforce Development asked the committee to approve rules implementing the James Dustin Samples Act, Public Chapter 465 (effective for injuries on or after January 1, 2024). Amanda Terry, legal services director for the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, said the statute "requires the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Bureau of Workers' Compensation to establish a grant program to mitigate costs to an employer of providing workers' compensation for firefighters diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder by a mental health professional."