VA HB 2322

Title: Workers' compensation; post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder'.
Author: Ellen H. Campbell

Summary
Workers' compensation; post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder' law-enforcement officers, firefighters, and dispatchers. Provides that an anxiety disorder or depressive disorder, as both are defined in the bill, incurred by a law-enforcement officer, correctional officer, firefighter, or dispatcher is compensable under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act on the same basis as post-traumatic stress disorder. The bill adds dispatchers and correctional officers to the list of individuals for whom the workers' compensation presumption for post-traumatic stress disorder applies. The bill provides that a mental health professional must diagnose the covered individual as suffering from anxiety disorder or depressive disorder as a result of a qualifying event, defined in the bill as an incident or exposure occurring in the line of duty on or after July 1, 2020, for post-traumatic stress disorder and on or after July 1, 2023, for anxiety disorder or depressive disorder, and includes other conditions for compensability. The bill requires employers of law-enforcement officers and dispatchers to provide resilience and self-care technique training beginning July 1, 2023. The bill also adds mental health professionals to certain provisions that currently apply to physicians and surgeons.

Status
House: Committee Referral Pending