DECATUR, Ga. — The City of Decatur became the latest city to approve benefits to help first responders dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The move comes as every municipality will be required to provide those benefits by January 1.
The bill is called the Ashley Wilson Act.
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“I’m very honored to be the namesake of this bill,” Wilson told Channel 2′s Michael Doudna.
Wilson knows the trauma that can come with being a first responder.
In 2018, her partner was shot and killed as they responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle.
“This was the friend whose birthday we celebrated three days before,” Wilson said. “This was the guy who had my back and gotten me home time and time again.”
After her partner’s death, Wilson suffered from PTSD and contemplated suicide.
She only was able to get better after paying for care out of her own pocket.
“Mine was thousands of dollars. Tens of thousands of dollars,” Wilson said.
Wilson thought the system could be better, so she went to state lawmakers with an idea that became a law this year.
The act requires municipalities to provide $3,000 if a first responder is diagnosed with PTSD and if they can’t return to work immediately, up to three years of partial salary payments (60% of their salary) to help get them back on their feet.
“What these benefits are doing now are giving first responders the ability to pay their mortgage, but also take care of themselves,” Wilson said.
The City of Decatur approved the benefits as similar moves are being made all over the state.
“Any agency that employs first responders is required to have this insurance by January 1, 2025. So we are doing the mad rush to get in,” Decatur Assistant City Manager Teresa De Castro said.
For Wilson, the approval means progress in providing a safety net for those who keep us safe.
“It’s amazing and it’s really, really rewarding,” Wilson said.
You can learn more about the Georgia First Responder PTSD Program here.
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