LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY
OFFICE OF FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
200 W. Washington St., Suite 301
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 233-0696
iga.in.gov
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LS 6247 NOTE PREPARED: Nov 28, 2023
BILL NUMBER: HB 1118 BILL AMENDED:
SUBJECT: Mental Health Care for First Responders.
FIRST AUTHOR: Rep. Jackson BILL STATUS: As Introduced
FIRST SPONSOR:
FUNDS AFFECTED:XGENERAL IMPACT: State
XDEDICATED
FEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: The bill establishes the Indiana First Responders Mental Health Wellness Fund
and Program (Fund and Program). It provides that the Division of Mental Health and Addiction of the Office
of the Secretary of Family and Social Services (FSSA) shall administer the Fund and Program.
The bill provides that a first responder who meets certain requirements may apply to the Division for:
(1) costs associated with the first responder's active participation in a mental health treatment plan
as determined by a psychologist or physician treating the first responder; and
(2) compensation if the first responder is unable to work.
It establishes requirements for obtaining compensation. It makes a continuous appropriation.
Effective Date: July 1, 2024.
Explanation of State Expenditures: The bill establishes the Indiana First Responders Mental Health
Wellness Program (program) to provide benefits to Indiana first responders, who are residents of Indiana,
and have been diagnosed with PTSD directly related to a qualified critical incident, as prescribed in the bill.
The bill also establishes the nonreverting Indiana First Responders Mental Health Wellness Fund (fund) to
provide benefit payments to first responders eligible for the program. The fund consists of appropriations
from the General Assembly and money in the fund is continually appropriated. The program and the fund
are both to be administered by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA).
In addition to administering the program and fund, the DMHA must also establish a mental health review
panel as prescribed in the bill. The DMHA would need to hire additional staff to address the increased
HB 1118 1 workload resulting from this bill. It is estimated that one program director and two program coordinators
would be needed to address the workload. The total cost for salaries and benefits are estimated at $244,000
for FY 2024. As of November, 2023, the DMHA had a total of 14 open full time positions, 7 of which were
at the program director level. The increase in staffing expenditures for the DMHA may be mitigated to the
extent that the open positions may be filled and utilized to staff the program. Ultimately, the source of funds
and resources required to satisfy the requirements of this bill will depend on legislative and administrative
actions.
Any increase in state expenditures resulting from this bill will depend on actions of the General Assembly
to appropriate money to the fund. The bill provides that a first responder meeting the qualifications
prescribed in the bill may be eligible to receive compensation equal to two-thirds of their average weekly
wages for a period of up to 10 days, or in some cases for a period of up to 30 weeks. The total amount of
compensation paid by the state will depend how many first responders meet the various eligibility
requirements, as well as the wages earned by each qualifying first responder.
Additional Information: In Indiana during 2022, the median annual salary of the various first responder
occupations ranged from approximately $27,830 to $95,000, with an average median salary of approximately
$54,000.
Firefighters and police officers are five times more likely to deal with PTSD and depression than the general
population. Roughly 15% to 22% of firefighters, 35% of police officers, and 24% of dispatchers deal with
symptoms of PTSD compared to about 7% of the general population. Depression affects 11% of firefighters,
anywhere from 9% to 31% of police officers, and nearly 25% of dispatchers, compared to about 7% of the
general population.
The Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience program was created in 2022 to support
the wellness needs of first responders. The program was created using money awarded to Ohio in the
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Oklahoma also developed a Mental Wellness Division within their Department of Public Safety. Oklahoma
did not appropriate money for the program, citing that the Department of Public Safety would utilize its
existing budget for the program, and the not-for-profit foundation would raise funds necessary to implement
the provisions.
The U.S. Senate passed the Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act of 2023, and the bill now awaits
actions from the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill aims to require Attorneys General to propose a
program for making treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder available to public
safety officers, and for other purposes.
Explanation of State Revenues:
Explanation of Local Expenditures:
Explanation of Local Revenues:
State Agencies Affected: Family and Social Services Administration.
Local Agencies Affected:
HB 1118 2 Information Sources: State staffing tables, November 2023;
https://rudermanfoundation.org/white_papers/police-officers-and-firefighters-are-more-likely-to-die-by-s
uicide-than-in-line-of-duty/;
https://www.in.gov/dhs/fire-and-building-safety/division-of-fire-and-building-safety-overview/first-respo
nder-behavioral-health/;
https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/dtac/supplementalresearchbulletin-firstresponders-may2018.pdf;
https://www.ems.gov/newsletter/fall2021/first_responder_mental_health_and_suicide.html;
https://business.kaiserpermanente.org/insights/mental-health-workplace/first-responder-support;
https://nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Frontline-Wellness/2021/Documenting-the-Traumas-of-First-Responders;
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28822615/;
https://www.bls.gov/oes/;
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes330000.htm;
http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB1613&Session=2200;
https://publicsafety.ohio.gov/what-we-do/our-programs/arpa-funding.
Fiscal Analyst: Jasmine Noel, 317-234-1360; Nate Bodnar, 317-234-9476.
HB 1118 3