Bill Overview
Title: Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice to report on one or more proposed programs to make treatment or preventative care available to public safety officers and public safety telecommunicators for job-related post-traumatic stress disorder or acute stress disorder. The report must also include draft legislative language related to each proposed program, as well as the estimated cost for administering each proposed program.
Sponsors: Rep. Joyce, David P. [R-OH-14]
Target Audience
Population: People in public safety roles experiencing or at risk of PTSD
Estimated Size: 2000000
- Public safety officers, including police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel, commonly experience traumatic events that can lead to PTSD or acute stress disorders.
- The bill focuses on providing treatment or preventative care for job-related PTSD and acute stress among these workers.
- Globally, millions of individuals work in various public safety roles across different countries.
- Stress and trauma in public safety jobs is a recognized issue worldwide, affecting a significant number of workers.
Reasoning
- The target population for this policy is particularly focused on public safety officers and telecommunicators, as they are a subset of those prone to PTSD or acute stress disorder due to job nature. The estimated American market is around 2,000,000, but not all will be directly impacted in the short term. The policy's budget constraints suggest that it could only serve a limited fraction initially, potentially 10,000 to 20,000 people, based on service costs and prioritization needs.
- The initial years will focus on developing frameworks and pilot programs to evaluate policy effectiveness. Therefore, some individuals will see early adoption and benefits, reflected in their wellbeing scores.
- Given the global context, similar policies or parts of this policy can be emulated in other regions if it shows success in the United States.
- Among the considerations, the program might have synergies with other mental health initiatives and could become a model example if effectively implemented within budget constraints.
Simulated Interviews
police officer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see firsthand how trauma affects my colleagues and myself.
- Access to preventative mental health care could greatly benefit people in my line of work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 2 |
firefighter (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's worrying to see how firefights impact mental health.
- Support for mental distress could help many new recruits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
EMT (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've seen colleagues breakdown after years of service.
- Resources for mental well-being are essential.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
911 dispatcher (Houston, TX)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don’t think people realize the mental strain of this job.
- A policy like this could change lives for telecommunicators.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
retired firefighter (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Retirement hasn't been easy mentally due to service memories.
- Wish this policy was in place earlier.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 3 |
police officer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We desperately need better mental health support in law enforcement.
- This kind of policy can back up grassroots mental health efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
EMT (Miami, FL)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Preparedness for mental strain is as important as physical drills.
- The policy could help be better prepared for the stresses of the job.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
firefighter (Denver, CO)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've had PTSD before, and the lack of structured support was hard.
- Happy to see policy makers addressing the issue.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
911 dispatcher (Seattle, WA)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Mental health awareness is lagging behind technology in our field.
- The policy can initiate a culture shift.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
police officer (Detroit, MI)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- There's a stigma against seeking mental health help in our profession.
- Support from the top, like this policy, could encourage others to seek help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $10000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The bill requires the preparation of a comprehensive report, not the implementation of programs.
- Future costs may arise based on proposed program implementations, but they are not part of this estimate.
- Costs are concentrated in the first year for reporting and research only.
- No direct economic benefits can be expected in the short term, as the bill is limited to reporting.