Bill > HB552

This bill revises Montana's workers' compensation law to provide insurance coverage for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for first responders, expanding the current restrictions on mental health claims. Specifically, the bill allows first responders, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, dispatchers, employees of detention centers or prisons, and emergency care providers, to file compensable workers' compensation claims for PTSD. To qualify, the PTSD diagnosis must be made using the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and must be caused by work-related events, excluding personnel-related actions like disciplinary actions or job evaluations. The bill defines the diagnostic and procedural requirements for such claims, ensuring that the PTSD is directly related to professional duties and not personal workplace interactions. By creating this new provision, the legislation acknowledges the unique psychological challenges faced by first responders and provides a mechanism for them to receive workers' compensation benefits for mental health injuries sustained in the course of their professional duties. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to PTSD claims arising from events occurring on or after that date.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1564