My military friends tell me that when they hear that it often feels hollow. I sure don't want it to feel that way from me. I retired at the end of 1999, so I haven't been a first responder in this millennium. I couldn't do what you folks are doing now, and I want you to know that this old man is very grateful.
I didn't become a psychologist until after I retired from a 20 year career as a Police Officer. Between 2011 and now my private practice has been limited to first responders only; most of them on Workers Compensation.
I have also volunteered for the First Responder Support Network since 2011. A great organization I highly recommend them.
I can't tell you how many First Responders I have heard say: "The job messed me up; the job is going to pay to fix me". I get that. Really! That's why I often take Workers Comp for so many years. EAP is a possibility, and there are some really big advantages to paying out of pocket.
It's really hard to find a culturally competent mental health provider for First Responders. If the price tag is freaking you out, give me a call. Maybe we can figure something out.
EAP services come with their own problems and limitations, but it is also the least objectionable insurance. EAP services were created to catch mental health issues before they became serious problems. That's why there are serious session limits. However, to be able to work with First Responders, I'm staying on a few EAP panels. Please give me a call to see if I'm on yours.
Don't get Discouraged!
I suspect that my page is a REAL bummer for folks who have a worker's compensation claim. Not everyone's experience is this grim. If you need a claim, you need one, and there is no way around it. You are injured; you aren't the one that's sick. The worker's comp system is sick, not you.
Hang in there.
One of the most important tricks to getting appropriate treatment is to have a diagnosis BEFORE you file your claim. The insurance companies have figured out how to deny your PTSD claim despite the "presumption" enacted by the legislature in 2020. Having a diagnosis before you file your claim makes it MUCH more difficult for them to do that. Even though I can't treat you after your claim is filed, I can help you get a diagnosis before you file your claim.
To find out more, read here:
I have learned much more about worker's comp than the insurance companies wish I knew. My new personal pro bono project is to do what ever I can to change this system to take care of first responders the way they should be taken care of. If you are an organization supporting First Responders (especially police/fire/EMT bargaining unit), attorney, mental health care provider, etc. who is interested in that project please call me.