"PTSD will be presumed to be work-related"

[mariomike]

Yesterday's news release may be of interest to active and retired police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

May 24, 2012
Alberta:
"The Workers’ Compensation Amendment Act will allow firefighters, police officers, sheriffs and paramedics to receive compensation for PTSD without having to prove their condition is work-related. Alberta will be the first province in Canada to provide such coverage.":
http://alberta.ca/NewsFrame.cfm?ReleaseID=/acn/201205/3236580990CF1-C6E8-FA7D-8356F8A75543B5F7.html

"What coverage is in place for other professions? 
Those not covered under the proposed legislation can still submit a claim for PTSD. The difference is that they would have to prove their claim. In other words, if a first responder is diagnosed with PTSD, it will be presumed to be work related, unless proven otherwise."

"What professions are considered to be ‘first responders’?
First responders are typically considered to be paramedics, firefighters and police officers. This proposed legislation also includes sheriffs."

"This legislation also extends to those previously in these roles."

 

[Dkeh]

But no soldiers? Awesome.

 

[OldSolduer]

But no soldiers? Awesome.

This is provincial legislation, not Federal.

 

[Dkeh]

Whoops, my mistake. I guess that's what I get for skipping over the date and location  :-[

 

[dogger1936]

Excellent progressive thinking Alberta 

Question is now....a soldier, a RCMP officer, and a Edmonton police officer all suffer from the same injury.

Who benefits, who loses.

Having said that very glad to see some form of government recognizing the stuff people have to deal with to provide safety and security. Regardless of who benefits more; I`m very glad to see a fraction of the population showing some form of compassion.

 

[OldSolduer]

Give it time. Eventually all the provinces will enact similar legislation.

 

[the 48th regulator]

Folks,

Soldiers have been diagnosed, recognized, and have been receiving compensation for many years for Operational Stress Injuries, both through the CF and VAC.  We are also the first organization, and Nation, to provide peer support for those that suffer from OSIs.

dileas

tess

 

[dogger1936]

Folks,

Soldiers have been diagnosed, recognized, and have been receiving compensation for many years for Operational Stress Injuries, both through the CF and VAC.  We are also the first organization, and Nation, to provide peer support for those that suffer from OSIs.

dileas

tess

Workers compensation paid to Edmonton police force members suffering from PTSD compared to the NVC lump sum.

As for the `peer` support through OSSIS; that's worthy of a topic all to itself.

 

[mariomike]

Give it time. Eventually all the provinces will enact similar legislation.

I expect our city chiefs are preparing for it.

They may point out that paramedics are expected to witness traumatic events.

That PTSD claims increase overtime for the city.

That in recognition of the impact the job has on paramedics over the years and decades, they  provide support systems that include a psychologist, peer support team, employee ( and family ) assistance program ( EAP ), extended health benefits, and a long term disability ( LTD ) plan.

Paid stress leave - that is not deducted from your sick bank - is now also written into the collective agreement.

 

[Scott]

I believe Alberta was also the first to pay firefighters for cancers related to the job.

I don't think this needs to turn into a CF vs emergency services debate

 

[Pieman]

Nice to read some good news for a change.

 

[ttlbmg]

Nice to see the progressive change in the provinces, one can only hope that it carries through to the federal level. It would be nice to see the move away from the "lump sum" payments. I think it gives the public another face to put on PTSD and occupational stress injuries, to see that CF members are not the only suffer from these issues. One can only hope that this spurs on the progressive mindset of the country.

 

[Gunner]

I believe Alberta was also the first to pay firefighters for cancers related to the job.

I don't think this needs to turn into a CF vs emergency services debate

The Alberta legislation a couple of years ago for specific cancers thought to place firefighters at higher risk, as well as the recent PTSD for first responders is based on the presumption that it was caused by their employment.  Both were previously covered by WCB but the onus was on the claimant to show evidence that it was due to their exposure at the worksite and not because of other causes (lifestyle, etc).  Now if a firefighter, police officer, or EMS person develops PTSD, they will be able to claim through WCB without having to prove anything (in fact the onus would be on WCB to prove otherwise).

 

[Scott]

My bad, I should have specified the presumptive bit.

Either way, I am glad to Alberta leading change and hope the rest of the provinces follow suit.

Hell we had to fight to get tax credits and a LODD benefit in Nova Scotia, so I can't see this one happening soon, but hopefully not long.

That said, I'd like to see an injection into the CISD teams that we have, they're a big help.

 

[mariomike]

The Ontario Association of Police Services Boards are not on board,

"OAPSB calls upon the provincial government to:
· Refrain from making Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) a presumptive workplace injury for police under the Workplace Safety
and Insurance Act (WSIA)";
http://oapsb.ca/advocacy_postions/2012/03/20/qpd2012_ptsd.pdf

Ontario
2008-11-19 - PROTECTION OF FRONT-LINE WORKERS:
http://www.ottawaparamedics.ca/news.asp?id=274
"NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo is calling for amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act to address the issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for front-line paramedics, firefighters and police officers."

That said, I'd like to see an injection into the CISD teams that we have, they're a big help.

My partner and I were sent to CISD for some long forgotten call when they introduced it on the job in the early 1980's.
It was my first and last CISD. T-EMS responds to 265,000 9-1-1 calls a year. Call volume was too high to send on duty paramedics who did not request it. The cost of doing CISD on overtime was high.

Most never took advantage of CISD. It was voluntary. On the other hand, there were a few who requested it after almost any call they found "difficult".

They have this "in the event of a large-scale critical incident, such as a natural disaster or terrorist attack.":
http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2560

Regarding CISD in EMS, if interested,

"Another nail in CISD's coffin":
http://www.emtcity.com/topic/2961-another-nail-in-cisds-coffin/

"EMS Myth #3: Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) is effective in managing EMS-related stress":
http://www.emsworld.com/article/10325074/ems-myth-3-critical-incident-stress-management-cism-is-effective-in-managing-ems-related-stress

 

[mariomike]

October 10, 2012

"On Wednesday at Queen’s Park, DiNovo announced Bill 129, her attempt to get presumptive legislation for front-line workers such as police, firefighters and paramedics who develop PTSD on the job.":
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1269219--cheri-dinovo-announces-bill-to-fast-track-benefits-for-workers-suffering-from-ptsd

"The bill is similar to one that has been recently tabled in the Alberta legislature."

 

[Wookilar]

I wonder if any senior hand-wringers from VAC or the VRAB are watching this? It turns their whole procedure on its ear.

This mind set of presumption is exactly what VAC is supposed to do, but I have yet to hear them do it. The onus is directly on us to prove PTSD is a result of our "employment."

Nice to see Alberta (and hopefully Ontario) step up and reverse the insurance company mentality.

 

[mariomike]

Nice to see Alberta (and hopefully Ontario) step up and reverse the insurance company mentality.

There is some resistance from the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police ( OACP ):

"Stressful – EYE can‟t really blame the folks at the Police Association of Ontario (PAO) for being stressed out about the OACP‟s efforts to get the Ministry of Health to help the policing community proactively address the issue of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For the unions, they can see their holy grail – presumptive legislation – within grasp, especially in an election year.

While some in the Ontario Government might be inclined to move ahead with presumptive legislation, MOL officials are well aware that they are heading toward unleashing a financial tsunami upon not just on municipalities, but the Ontario Government itself (since the OPP will also be bearing the potentially massive costs for presumptive legislation).":
http://www.oacp.ca/upload5/news/Eye_on_Queens_Park_February_2011.pdf
( Continued on page 4. )

And on Tuesday from the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards (OAPSB):
October 9, 2012
"Presumptive Legislation for PTSD Not the Answer":
http://www.oapsb.ca/news/2012/10/10/oabpsstatementptsd.pdf

"It should be noted that the vast majority of police work directly or indirectly for municipalities, so costs associated with such legislation would be borne largely by municipalities rather than the provincial government -- at a time when policing costs have escalated to unsustainable levels."

According to the Bill, "Time limits do not apply:
  (5)  The time limits set out in subsections 22 (1) and (2) do not apply to the filing of a claim in respect of post traumatic stress disorder."

 

[Scott]

Holy grail. What an utter fucking crock. Yeah, my holy grail after 15 years of fires, wrecks and other calamities has always been to nurture my bad dreams, and a shot at cancer, simply to wrestle some money out of someone. The financial tsunami, if it does happen, will be in part because of piss poor management of these issues in the past.

Fucksticks.

 

[mariomike]

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario ( AMO ) issued this News Release on October 12, 2012.

"Under this draft legislation, the cause of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among emergency service workers (police, fire, EMS) would be presumed to have occurred in the workplace, unless proven otherwise, and the workers would automatically be entitled to WSIB benefits.":
http://www.amo.on.ca/WCM/AMO/AMO_Content/Legislation/Bill_129/PTSDBillMustServeEmployeesandTaxpayers.aspx