First responders in emergency situations, including police, firefighters and para-medics are atvery high risk of suffering from PTSD-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Marmar et al., 2006). This paper examines Bill 67 and the changes in DSM-IV to DSM-V, regarding diagnosing of PTSD, in relation to first responders.

Bill 67, enacted by Cheri DiNovvo, the MPP for Parkdale-High Park, seeks to introduce a presumption legislation aimed at enabling first responders claim benefits on the basis of PTSD, as a result of their work (Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 2013). The bill has passed second stage, and if it becomes law, first-responders, including police, firefighters and paramedics, will have a simple process of being confirmed as suffering from PTSD. In essence, first responders will not be required to make a proof that they suffer trauma, as a result of their job. In addition, the time for processing claims will be shortened. Lastly, the amendment will enhance the process of assessing counselling services by the first responders.

The changes made in the DSM-IV, as reflected in the DSM-V, about PTSD, have drawn a clear line that enables easy diagnosis of PTSD in the police and other first responders (American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013). These changes spell clearly that, exposure to PTSD includes direct experience of a traumatic event, direct witnessing of a traumatic occurrence, serious sexual violation or injury, and repeated exposure to traumatic events (Zoellner et al., 2013). In the changes, sexual assault is documented as a repeated exposure likely to affect first responders, and the police. The DSM-IV has proposed four clusters of diagnosing PTSD, which include negative cognitions and mood, re-experiencing, avoidance and arousal. These are clearer in diagnosing PTSD than the three clusters of DSM-IV.

References

American Psychological Publishing. (2013). Posttraumatic stress disorder: Changes in PTSD criteria. Retrieved from http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/PTSD%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

Legislative Assembly of Ontario. (2013). Bill 67, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), 2014. Retrieved online from http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=2789

Marmar, T. R., McCaslin, S., Metzler, T. J., Weiss, S. D., Fagan, J., Liberman, A.,… & Neylan, T. (2006). Predictors of post-traumatic stress in police and other first responders. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1071, 1-18

Zoellner, A. L., Bedard-Gilligan, A. M., June, J. J., Marks, H. L., & Garcia, M. N. (2013). The evolving construct of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): DSM-V criteria changes and legal implications. Psychological Injury and Law, 6(4), 277-289.