Legislatures across the country continue to introduce bills that would impact mental health presumptions for first responder populations.

New Jersey Senate Bill 3662 would create a temporary task force to study and provide recommendations regarding the identification and treatment of pandemic-related post-traumatic stress disorder in first responders, health care professionals, and other frontline workers.

If enacted, the task force would consist of 21 members, ranging across various professions and agencies. Not later than 12 months after its organizational meeting, the task force shall prepare and submit a written report to the Governor and the Legislature, providing its findings and recommendations with respect to the issues under its purview.

Additionally, the task force would be required to:

• Estimate the current prevalence of pandemic PTSD among first responders, health care professionals, and other frontline workers, as well as the likelihood of future cases
• Develop best practices for the identification and treatment of pandemic PTSD in first responders, health care professionals, and other frontline workers
• Identify and approve new, alternative, and innovative means and methods of diagnosing and treating pandemic PTSD in first responders, health care professionals, and other frontline workers
• Identify policies, practices, services, resources, and funding sources that can be used to enhance the ability of health care and mental health care professionals to identify, diagnose the severity of, and appropriately treat, pandemic PTSD and its side effects, and facilitate the Statewide implementation and use of the best practices and diagnostic and treatment methods

Connecticut House Bill 5279 would expand the state’s existing PTSD presumption for first responders to include witnessing a serious physical injury to a person that does not result in death, disfigurement, loss of a vital body part or function, or permanent disfigurement. The current presumption has specific language requiring first responders to witness particular types of events to qualify for workers’ comp coverage, and this bill would expand the presumption beyond those incidents.

Virgina House Bill 1313 would expand the state’s existing PTSD presumption for first responders. While the original presumption covers PTSD for incidents that occurred in the line of duty, this new bill would cover the exacerbation of any such preexisting disorders that have been exacerbated by the job, provided that certain requirements are met, and would not require a specific work-related incident.