The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) published a new report focused on claims in which the primary diagnosis was a mental health condition, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adjustment disorders, other stress reactions, anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders.

This study examines mental health claims in workers’ comp from October 2014 to September 2024 across 31 states, providing new evidence on the characteristics, treatment, costs, and disability outcomes associated with these claims.

Because this study did not focus on claims where a physical injury was the primary diagnosis, identifying mental health claims was challenging because no single data element distinguishes these claims. This required a comprehensive set of criteria to identify mental-only claims.

According to the study, mental health claims are infrequent, but their frequency has increased in recent years. From 2015-2024, mental health claim frequency increased by 47% for overall claims, and 40% for claims with more than seven days of lost time. Overall, frequency varied across states, with California demonstrating the highest frequency of 1.1 per 100 claims.

In regard to characteristics of mental health claims:

• 40% involved more than seven days of lost time
• PTSD, stress-related conditions, and anxiety were the most frequent conditions
• Frequency was higher among longer-tenure workers, higher-wage earners, women, and those in clerical and professional occupations
• Frequency increased significantly for those in health care, public safety, and transportation
• Per-claim medical payments were lower overall when compared to all claims
• Indemnity benefits payments were higher
• Temporary disability duration averaged 19 weeks at 12 months and 26 weeks at 24 months
• Administrative and medical-legal services were common

Of note, medical care provided for mental health conditions included psychological diagnostic evaluations and psychotherapy, as well as drug therapy with sertraline (Zoloft), trazodone (Desyrel), escitalopram (Lexapro), and alprazolam (Xanax).