St. Paul, Minn. - Rep. (Sen.-elect) Dan Schoen (DFL – St. Paul Park) is convening a meeting to discuss the needs of those effected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who work in public safety professions on Tuesday, December 20th at 1:30 p.m. in Room 2412 of the Minnesota Senate Building.
“Last year, I introduced legislation clarifying PTSD as a work related illness for public safety officers,” Schoen said. “The legislation did not receive a hearing last year despite the overwhelming favorable response from across the state. Because of this strong response, I plan to reintroduce this legislation during the 2017 session.”
Occupations covered under Schoen’s bill include firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, law enforcement, emergency care nurses, DNR forest officers and correctional officers. A Cottage Grove police officer as well as a legislator, Schoen introduced the bill because he had heard many stories of public safety personnel running into red tape and other roadblocks when attempting to receive proper care for PTSD.
“During discussions about this legislation, we recognized there were more people who wanted to tell their story about the difficulty in dealing with their employer in order to receive the treatment they needed,” he continued. “We also want to recognize PTSD is commonplace in victims of violent crime or traumatic events they have witnessed.”
The meeting is open to the public and the press. It will last approximately 90 minutes, and should allow as many people to speak as possible. Schoen noted that potential attendees shouldn’t feel pressured to share their stories publicly, but that “it’s the only way the public can see how prevalent this is.”
“We also want to hear ideas on how to make sure victims get the treatment they need and how we can help accommodate said needs during that process,” he said.
Individuals who wish to participate in the round table are asked to RSVP to Sen.-elect Schoen’s Legislative Assistant, Isaac Russell. He can be reached at 651-296-4370 or isaac.russell@senate.mn.
WHO: Rep. (and Sen.-elect) Dan Schoen
WHAT: Roundtable Discussion about PTSD among First Responders
WHEN: Tuesday, December 20 at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Room 2412, Minnesota Senate Building, 95 University Ave W, St. Paul, MN 55155