Idaho Mental Health Bill

Idaho is a state in which is trying to turn the stigma around for the word, metal health. Idaho is developing programs and passing laws that have the potential turn mental health around in our state.

Governor Brad Little is making a change in the state with mental health. Governor Little and the Idaho Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill in February to extend workers' compensation coverage to first responders who suffer from a mental illness due to their line of duty, specifically PTSD. This is eligible for policeman, firefighters, paramedics, and all other first responders. This allows them to be eligible for workers' compensation to receive psychological treatment, instead of ONLY allowing time off for physical injury and treatment. The bill passed 31-4.

This something in which is shaping the future of mental health in Idaho. "In the U.S., about eight million people experience PTSD. While any traumatic experience can lead to PTSD, there are a few types of trauma that are the most common. Examples include sexual assault/abuse, natural disasters, accidents/injuries to self or other, or being in a life-threatening situation. When you consider these examples, it's understandable why people would associate PTSD most frequently with military service members. However, this assumption can be problematic" (nami.org). This idea that PTSD only effects military serviceman is problematic, because it is quite wrong. Anybody in the population is at risk of experiencing PTSD.

This bill that has been passed is a large step for Idaho breaking the stigma with mental illness. The bill associate's PTSD with a different group of individuals. It shifts the focus. Although our serviceman is at high risk, and suffer PTSD immensely from combat and experiences, all individuals are at risk.

Going forward, I hope that there will be a bill passed that does not only allow for the serviceman (military and first responders) to take a leave of absence for treatment, but any sufferer. When I was at the peak of my PTSD experiences, I could barely focus. The world seemed to be in a fuzz. If I, as a student, were allowed more absence days to recover and heal from my experience, I feel that my healing process could have had a bit of a difference. However, school boards and state regulations do not allow for a certain amount of days to missed due to a mental illness without having to repeat a school year.

As I have recently been trained a Mental Health First Aid Certified Trainer, I am pursuing a goal to make the community aware of the way mental health issues can have an impact on everyday life.

Idaho is making its way up the mental health ladder, and its only looking up.