On March 27, 2018, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed Florida Senate Bill SB 376 that extends workers’ compensation benefits to first responders being treated for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The new law will go into effect on October 1, 2018.
An additional provision of the bill is a requirement for employing agencies of first responders to provide educational training related to mental health awareness, prevention, mitigation, and treatment.
In support of this new provision, the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation is providing a framework for employing agencies to build upon when complying with the educational requirement in the new law. While it is not a requirement that employing agencies use these materials, the four documents included in the framework will assist employers in complying with the new requirements. At their discretion, employing agencies can determine how to scale up or down based on their individual capabilities, needs, and resources.
All available materials can be downloaded HERE.