This bill amends the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act and the Critical Incident Stress Management Act to include public safety communications personnel, such as 911 operators and emergency dispatchers, in the provisions that address mental health injuries and illnesses related to their work. It defines the term "public safety communications personnel" and establishes that these individuals, along with first responders and frontline state employees, can seek compensation for mental injuries or illnesses that arise from extraordinary and unusual employment conditions. The bill outlines the criteria for establishing a claim, including the need for evidence from a mental health professional and participation in resilience training.

Additionally, the bill mandates that all services available to emergency service personnel under the Critical Incident Stress Management Act must also be extended to state correctional employees and public safety communications personnel. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing mental health issues as a normal response to trauma and provides for reimbursement of mental health examinations and resilience training costs through the Department of Health and Human Services. The original sections of the law that are being amended are repealed, ensuring that the new definitions and provisions are integrated into the existing legal framework.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 48-101.01, 71-7113