Lt. Governor Austin Davis, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Director Randy Padfield, and State Fire Commissioner Tom Cook highlighted a new law to strengthen access to mental health care for firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and state police officers.
“Pennsylvania’s first responders face difficult and often traumatic situations to keep us safe. With Act 121, we made it clear that their mental health matters just as much as their physical health,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis.
In 2024, the Commonwealth reformed the Workers’ Compensation Act to ensure firefighters, first responders, and law enforcement with a post-traumatic stress injury get the coverage they deserve. Nearly one in seven first responders suffer from PTSI.
However, if a disaster emergency is declared and first responders are called to duty, they are not provided death or worker’s compensation benefits from the Commonwealth. The Governor wants to expand workers’ rights and make any first responder deployed by the Commonwealth in accordance with an Emergency Declaration eligible for death and workers’ compensation benefits while responding to a disaster.
“First responders routinely face traumatic situations most people will never experience,” said State Fire Commissioner Tom Cook. “Ensuring they have timely access to post-traumatic stress injury care is essential, not just for their own health, but for their families, and the strength and readiness of our entire emergency response system.”
Act 121 of 2024 allows first responders to receive workers’ compensation benefits for post-traumatic stress injuries caused by qualifying traumatic events experienced in the line of duty. A PTSI does not need to result from an unusual or abnormal work condition to be covered. The benefits may be provided for up to two years and must be supported by a diagnosis from a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. Claims must be filed within three years of diagnosis, and coverage applies even if the diagnosis occurs after employment ends, as long as the trauma happened on the job.
Currently, when the Commonwealth requests specialized resources or teams to respond to a disaster on behalf of the state, workers’ compensation coverage for non-state personnel remains the responsibility of the providing organization, such as a local municipality or private service. In some cases, this coverage may be inadequate or may not apply when those resources are deployed for state missions, creating potential gaps in protection for first responders serving on behalf of Pennsylvania.
