Spurred by the health of their constituents, representatives from Nebraska and New Mexico are shining light on the mental health risks of first responders, specifically firefighters and police officers. A 2017 study from the Ruderman Family Foundation revealed that police officers and firefighters were more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. The report attributed the increased risk of suicide to “mental illness, including depression and PTSD stemming from constant exposure to death and destruction.”
Sen. Tom Brewer’s (R-Neb.) Legislative Bill 963 seeks to help those at risk. If the bill passes, new first responders would take a mental health exam before beginning their job to establish a baseline. If a mental change is detected later on, the first responder would receive reimbursement by Health and Human Services for the cost of mental health care. The bill also funds resiliency training to help prevent or mitigate mental injury from PTSD. Legislative Bill 963 establishes who may diagnose PTSD—which is the part opponents of the bill object to. However, with these minor changes, the bill seems to have bi-partisan support within the state.
In New Mexico, House Bill 6 passed the state House and moves to the Senate for consideration. The bill extends the presumption of employment-related PTSD to first responders, requiring medical treatment to be provided by the employer in such cases. In addition to opening greater access to medical treatment for PTSD, the bill seeks to fund community policing strategies for local law enforcement. According to the Associated Press, a provision in the bill would provide up to $7,500 toward bonuses and training for local law enforcement officers to engage in community-oriented policing to help prevent crime. New Mexico had the nation’s second-highest violent crime rate and its highest property crime rate in 2018, according to the Department of Justice.
The bill also seeks to strengthen penalties for the use or possession of a firearm in the commission of certain felonies. If it passes the New Mexico state Senate, the bill’s effective date is July 1, 2020.