Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters Wins $40M for PTSI Care

The Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters (OAPFF) helped drive bipartisan passage of House Bill 184, which allocates $40 million to support first responders seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI).

On the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, OAPFF President Jon Harvey and Government Affairs Director Steve Stein detailed why Ohio’s system has historically limited access to care, and how the union built a broad coalition to move the bill. They also outlined what comes next: establishing a clear pathway for first responders to access treatment and continuing work on pension funding equity and additional safety priorities.

• OAPFF advanced House Bill 184 to secure $40 million for PTSI support, positioning mental health care as a core safety issue for first responders.
• A coalition strategy helped move bipartisan legislation, pairing union advocacy with outreach to stakeholders across Ohio.
• The next phase is implementation, including a separate legislative pathway to access treatment and continued work on pension funding equity.

According to the OAPFF, for years, Ohio’s first responders have carried the weight of traumatic calls while navigating a workers’ compensation framework that, in practice, made it difficult to access treatment for post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI).

That changed with the signing of House Bill 184, a bipartisan measure that allocates $40 million to support first responders seeking care for PTSI. The legislation is a milestone for the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters, which has pursued reforms across multiple General Assemblies and framed the issue as a matter of readiness, retention and public safety.

On the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, OAPFF President Jon Harvey and Director of Government Affairs Steve Stein described the bill’s significance, the efforts required to move it and the work that remains to ensure the funding translates into real, accessible treatment.

Collective Action

Harvey, now in his second term as President, leads an organization representing roughly 15,000 active and retired members across about 300 locals statewide. He said the effort to address PTSI has been sustained over time, spanning multiple legislative sessions and requiring a deliberate shift in strategy.

The union’s approach, he explained, relied on persistence and a disciplined understanding of how lawmakers respond to pressure. While statewide leaders can make the case in Columbus, the decisive influence often comes from constituents in a legislator’s home district.

That reality shaped OAPFF’s emphasis on collective action. Members were asked to do more than follow the issue. They were asked to show up, make contact, and keep the problem visible where it matters most: in the communities where elected officials live and campaign.

OAPFF President Jon Harvey on Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI)

Harvey said the union intentionally uses the term post-traumatic stress injury rather than the more common phrasing, emphasizing that the condition is frequently connected to workplace exposure and should be treated as an occupational injury.

In Ohio, Harvey said, the system historically created a barrier: without an associated physical injury, a first responder could struggle to access treatment through a PTSI claim. That structure left many workers navigating trauma without adequate support, even as the demands of emergency response continued.

Harvey described PTSI as a chronic, cumulative issue in public safety work. First responders routinely encounter high-stakes emergencies, fatalities and situations involving vulnerable members of the public. Over time, those exposures can affect sleep, decision-making, family life and job performance.

The union’s position is that treatment is not a luxury. It is a readiness requirement. When first responders receive timely care, they are more likely to return to duty, remain in the profession and continue serving their communities effectively.

OAPFF Government Affairs Strategy: Building Bipartisan Support

Stein, approaching two decades in the fire service, said the union’s legislative work is grounded in a simple principle: the work matters, the members matter, and the public depends on first responders being equipped to do the job safely.

He credited OAPFF leadership for investing in advocacy capacity and for prioritizing relationship-building as a core legislative tool. In Ohio, he noted, political realities require unions to engage the state legislature as it exists, not as they might prefer it to be.

That meant expanding outreach, holding more conversations, and educating decision-makers who may not have been fully aware of the scope of PTSI in public safety.

Stein said OAPFF focused on finding common ground without compromising values. The message was consistent: first responders are not asking for optional benefits. They are seeking access to care that supports safe operations and protects the public.

Support from the Community

A key factor in the bill’s momentum was coalition-building. Stein said the effort brought together stakeholders who do not always align on other issues, including business organizations and public safety partners.

The coalition approach helped demonstrate that PTSI treatment is not a narrow labor issue. It is a workforce stability issue and a community safety issue.

Harvey said this broader alignment also strengthened the message in legislators’ districts. When lawmakers hear consistent concerns from multiple constituencies, the issue becomes harder to dismiss as routine advocacy.

Firefighter Mental Health and Public Safety: Why Education Matters

Both leaders emphasized that education is central to implementation.

Stein said misconceptions about mental health care can distort policy debates, including fears that expanded access will be abused. In public safety, he argued, the more common problem is the opposite: workers who need help often avoid it.

OAPFF’s message to policymakers was that mental health support should be treated as part of a comprehensive health and safety plan. That includes equipment, training and staffing, as well as the resources that help first responders remain capable decision-makers in difficult environments.

Harvey reinforced that point by describing how traumatic incidents can stay with responders long after the call ends. The union’s goal is to normalize treatment as a standard part of recovery and readiness.

House Bill 184 Details: Is $40 Million Enough?

Stein said the $40 million allocation is a strong starting point. The long-term funding need will become clearer as claims experience develops.

To evaluate potential costs, he pointed to comparisons with other public safety-related benefit structures that were initially projected to be far more expensive than they ultimately proved to be.

The union’s objective, he said, is to balance two imperatives:

• Ensuring members can access the care they need
• Maintaining a sustainable fund that can be defended and renewed over time

What’s Next for the OAPFF: Access Pathway and Pension Equity

While House Bill 184 secured funding, Stein said the next step is equally critical: building a clear, workable pathway for first responders to access treatment.

That will require additional legislative action and coordination among stakeholders to ensure the process is streamlined and practical.

OAPFF is also continuing its long-running push to address pension funding equity. Harvey and Stein described pension reform as a major priority that affects active members and retirees alike.

In addition, the union is pursuing other safety-related initiatives, including expanded screening and prevention efforts.

Message to Union Members: Your Voice Matters

A consistent theme of the conversation was member power.

Stein urged union members and their families not to underestimate the impact of contacting elected officials, especially in local settings where lawmakers are most accountable.

Harvey said OAPFF’s progress is the result of sustained engagement: building relationships, maintaining pressure across multiple sessions and motivating members to make the issue unavoidable.

The lesson, they argued, extends beyond the fire service. When union members act collectively and consistently, they can advance policies that protect workers and strengthen communities.

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