Policy Resolution LWD-24-34

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) is committed to the health and well-being of all citizens, and recognizes that African Americans and communities of color have historically had less access to quality mental health services;

WHEREAS, there has been a dramatic increase over the past few years in the number of mental injury cases for workers, including but not limited to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD);

WHEREAS, according to the National Institutes of Health research has suggested that African American and Latino adults may develop PTSD at higher rates than White adults, and that the clinical course of PTSD in these minority groups is poor, and that one factor that may contribute to higher prevalence and poorer outcome in these groups are sociocultural factors and racial stressors, such as experiences with discrimination;

WHEREAS, in some states, all psychological injuries are covered, while in others only PTSD is covered and other mental injuries are neglected, and in some states cover mental injuries triggered only by trauma, while others cover mental injury triggered by both traumatic and nontraumatic stressors; and

WHEREAS, some states rule out altogether any chronic mental stress that develops gradually and cumulatively over time.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) call for minimum standards in the United States for presumptive legislation covering mental occupational injury for:

• All workers suffer mental injury;
• All scientifically recognized types of mental injury, including, but not limited to, post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
• Workplace stressors that cause both chronic psychological injuries (developed gradually and cumulatively over time in response to a series of events or multiple exposures to workplace stressors) and acute mental injury (the result of one single, sudden, discrete, traumatic workplace, or work-related event);
• Both traumatic and non-traumatic workplace stress triggers (stress in response to continuous or multiple exposures to significant workplace stressors that do psychological harm but do not rise to the level of trauma);

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.

• Resolution ID: HHS-24-34
• Sponsored by: Sen. Karla May (MO)
• Policy Committee: Labor and Workforce Development (LWD)