Course Description
In the year after the murder of George Floyd, the number of Minnesota police officers and firefighters applying for disability retirement tripled. Seventy nine percent of disability applications were based on claims of job-related PTSD. Police and firefighters are eligible for both Worker’s Compensation and the Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) retirement benefits. The claims are commonly disputed by the municipalities and an independent psychiatric/psychological evaluation (IPE) is undertaken. Presenters of this workshop are forensic mental health professionals who have extensive experience conducting IPEs to determine the presence of PTSD and whether the condition results in disability. The degree and duration of disability, and whether a delayed onset of symptoms of PTSD has occurred are often in question. This workshop will cover the research database on symptoms of PTSD and best practice standards for evaluating claims of PTSD. A framework for assuring a reliable and valid diagnosis of PTSD that focuses on reaching an opinion regarding the presence of work-related PTSD that will withstand legal challenge will be presented. Additionally, four clinical vignettes will be provided to the audience members who will be asked to provide an opinion on the validity of the claim based on the vignette.
REFERENCES
Mikel M, McNeil DE and Binder RL. A Systematic Approach to the Detection of False PTSD. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 47:325–34, 2019
Smith v. Carver County, 931 N.W.2d 390 (Minn. 2019)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. For a DSM-5TR diagnosis of PTSD in adults, the duration of disturbance must be:
A. Less than six months
B. More than six months
C. Less than one month
D. More than one month
ANSWER: D
2. One of the following is not a qualifying Criterion A event for a DSM-5TR diagnosis of PTSD:
A. Learning about loss of spouse in a driving accident
B. Repeated exposure to human remains in first responders
C. Being exposed to repeated gory violence in war movies
D. Sexual assault under the effects of a date-rape drug
ANSWER: C
Speakers
Chinmoy Gulrajani, MD, Minneapolis, MN
Paul Arbisi, PhD, Minneapolis, MN (I)
Paul Arbisi, PhD, Minneapolis, MN (I)
Accreditation Statement
The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this presentation, audience members will demonstrate knowledge of best practice standards for evaluating claims of PTSD.
At the end of this presentation, audience members will demonstrate knowledge of best practice standards for evaluating claims of PTSD.
Disclosure
All meeting planners, Program and Education Committee Members, in control of content for the meeting have signed disclosures indicating that they have no relevant financial relationships with any ineligible companies.
All presenters of this activity have also signed disclosures indicating that they have no relevant financial relationships with any ineligible companies.
