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A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING STATEWIDE POLICIES AND RESOURCES FOR <br />PUBLIC SAFETY MENTAL AND PHYSICAL INJURY EDUCATION, PREVENTION, <br />AND TREATMENT <br />WHEREAS, the City of Centerville recognizes the inherent dangers faced by peace officers and <br />firefighters in the line of duty; and <br />WHEREAS, the duties performed by public safety employees sometimes lead to physical and mental <br />injuries; and <br />WHEREAS, the number of public safety employees seeking duty disability determinations through the <br />Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) and making workers' compensation claims for line - <br />of -duty injuries is accelerating at an unsustainable rate; and <br />WHEREAS, every injury that leads to a PERA duty disability retirement and/or workers' compensation <br />claim impacts the employee, the employee's family and the employee's organization; and <br />WHEREAS, the current system for processing and addressing duty disability benefits can be <br />incompatible with the goal of restoring good health and returning employees to work; and <br />WHEREAS, the fiscal impact of the increasing number of claims is unsustainable for employers <br />and, ultimately, taxpayers; and <br />WHEREAS, public safety agencies, particularly those that are small and already experiencing <br />recruitment and retention challenges, will not remain viable if they continue to sustain significant <br />personnel losses; and <br />WHEREAS, cities across Minnesota have invested resources into mental and physical injury education, <br />prevention and treatment; and <br />WHEREAS, experts, including those experienced with treating combat veterans, report that with <br />successful treatment, many injured public safety employees can achieve optimal outcomes of restoring <br />good health for themselves, their families and return to work; and <br />WHEREAS, cities cannot solve this challenge on their own and need the state to help address the policy <br />and financial issues related to public safety, duty disability trends. <br />THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CENTERVILLE that <br />this council supports: <br />Full state funding for the Public Safety Officer Benefit Account that reimburses employers for <br />providing continued health insurance to police officers and firefighters injured in the line of duty <br />and dependents of those killed (Minn. Stat. § 299A.465); and <br />Funding to reimburse local governments for providing paid time off to public safety employees <br />who experience work -related trauma and/or are seeking treatment for a mental injury; and <br />Funding for initiatives and programs that provide peer support, emotional trauma training, early <br />intervention and mental health treatment; and <br />