The Pennsylvania state Senate has advanced a proposal to expand workers’ compensation benefits to include first responders diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The bill, approved on Wednesday, aims to provide additional support to state police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and peace officers living with the condition.
This legislation follows similar measures enacted in 25 other states. Rep. Jenn O’Mara, D-Springfield, who sponsored a parallel bill in the House, has been an advocate for first responders’ mental health, drawing on personal experience. O’Mara’s father, a Philadelphia firefighter, died by suicide in 2003.
“First responders are heroes, but they’re not superheroes,” O’Mara said earlier this year, emphasizing the need for better access to mental health care to prevent tragedies.
Sen. Camera Bartolotta, D-Washington, shared her personal connection during the Senate session, recalling a 911 dispatcher who assisted her during her husband’s final moments. She stressed the long-term impact trauma has on first responders and their families.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 30% of first responders develop mental health conditions, compared to 20% of the general population. Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) further estimates that up to 10% of emergency workers develop PTSD.
Pennsylvania’s emergency services face a significant staffing shortage, particularly in rural areas, as workers confront mental and physical challenges daily. The bill now moves to the House for further consideration.
