AWC has submitted a letter supporting the draft PTSD Treatment Guidelines that were recently published by the Industrial Insurance Medical Advisory Committee (IIMAC) at the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). IIMAC is made up of medical experts recommended by statewide clinical groups or specialty societies/associations.

You can read AWC’s letter of support here.

The PTSD Treatment Guidelines are meant to provide guidance to L&I, workers, employers, and healthcare professionals about the best available science for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially for first responders like police, firefighters, and other emergency workers who are regularly exposed to traumatic situations. The guidelines synthesize what IIMAC has found to be scientifically supported recommendations for treating PTSD.

Cities know that workers who develop PTSD because of exposure to trauma on the job deserve treatments that are supported by evidence as effective at helping PTSD-impacted workers, that have track records of effectiveness, and whose results can be replicated for most impacted workers. City first responders have recently seen their workers’ compensation insurance rates skyrocket, primarily driven by the high cost of treating PTSD. AWC feels that treatment guidance needs to be evidence-based so that there is a reasonable likelihood that workers will actually get better and return to work, not merely cost the workers’ compensation system money for ineffective treatment.

The draft PTSD Treatment Guidelines are open for public comment until September 19. There will also be a public hearing on October 23 where cities can submit oral comments. AWC encourages cities to provide comments support the proposed guidelines. See more on how to participate below: