07/25/2026

CCAO publishes County Advisory Bulletin on state post traumatic stress fund program changes

CCAO has published County Advisory Bulletin 2026-03 Post Traumatic Stress Fund Program.

The CAB provides a brief legislative history of the State Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) Fund. It was created in 2021 but no funding was provided and it was statutorily prohibited from making any payments.

Earlier this year, the state transferred $40 million to the fund but the money was not appropriated and the statutory prohibition on making payments from the PTS Fund remained.

Last month, through House Bill 479 (Representative Jean Schmidt), the PTS Fund became functional once the bill takes effect on September 23, 2026.

The PTS Fund is placed under the administration of the Department of Behavioral Health and will be overseen by a PTS Fund Commission. The commission does not include any employer representation, an absence that CCAO intends to advocate against.

The bill, nor existing Revised Code sections, does not provide the state a mechanism to assess public employers premiums to contribute to the fund. Instead, the bill limits the funding available for out-of-pocket reimbursement to peace officers to the $40 million appropriation; once the appropriation is exhausted, reimbursements will not be made until more funding is appropriated.

A more detailed overview is available in the CAB itself. CCAO will keep membership informed of any developments regarding the PTS Fund.