Bill > SB593

This bill amends Virginia law to expand workers' compensation benefits for law-enforcement officers and firefighters suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder. The bill increases the maximum duration of benefits from 52 to 104 weeks from the date of diagnosis and provides clear definitions for key terms such as "qualifying event" and eligible professionals. To qualify for benefits, a mental health professional must diagnose the condition resulting from a specific line-of-duty event, such as responding to a scene involving serious injury, death, mass casualties, or involving a minor. The bill requires that the qualifying event be the primary cause of the mental health condition and not result from disciplinary actions or job-related changes. Additionally, the legislation mandates that employers provide peer support and mental health referrals, and requires fire basic training programs to include resilience and self-care technique training. The bill aims to recognize and support the mental health challenges faced by first responders by providing more comprehensive workers' compensation coverage for job-related mental health conditions.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?251+sum+SB593