Committee considers pilot allowing PTSD treatment before workers-comp claim adjudication
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Summary
House Bill 2405 would create a pilot at the Department of Labor & Industries authorizing up to 11 treatment sessions for PTSD prior to claim adjudication and additional sessions later if needed; agency and worker advocates said timely access matters while some advocates urged technical changes.
House Bill 2405, presented in committee Jan. 21, would establish a pilot at the Department of Labor and Industries allowing authorization of a diagnostic interview and up to 11 treatment sessions for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before workers' compensation claim adjudication, with the option for up to six additional sessions within a year of claim closure where needed.
Staff described the proposal as a targeted pilot to address delays that can prevent workers from accessing timely mental-health care while claims are pending. The Department may also enter agreements with healthcare organizations, modify administrative requirements for participating providers, and use funds allocated for return-to-work programs to support workplace behavioral-health efforts in high-risk occupations. The department must report recommendations to the Legislature by July 1, 2030.
Representative Schmidt, sponsor of the bill, said earlier access to treatment is critical for first responders and nurses and noted the bill expands SHIP grants for prevention work. "We know that those claims are having low return-to-work opportunities" and workers have faced delays getting treatment, Schmidt said.
Tammy Fallon of the Department of Labor and Industries testified in support, calling it an agency-request bill that uses existing funds and would allow earlier care without asking for additional appropriation. NFIB's Patrick Connor said his organization was "pleased to be in support" of the bill, praising the department's stakeholder work, while the Washington State Association for Justice and other witnesses flagged technical concerns about pre-claim treatment disrupting existing care patterns and urged amendments on implementation details.
Remote and in-person witnesses raised points about studying workplace prevention, modality choices for clinical treatment, and the need for careful drafting to avoid unintentional effects on existing provider relationships. The committee closed the public hearing on HB 2405 after testimony; no committee vote occurred at the hearing.