Families and PTSD advocates say Alberta first responders face denied or delayed care

Families and advocates of those living with post-traumatic stress disorder claim first responders in Alberta are facing a crisis in care.

Angela Smith has watched her husband’s mental health deteriorate over his 20 years of service with the Calgary Police Service (CPS) and said it has been an uphill battle to receive workers’ compensation and support for a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis.

“We met before he was a police officer, so I knew him before and saw the changes that happened over time and over the different and difficult cases that he’s been involved in—the things he’s seen that are horrific and unimaginable,” she said.

“As time went on, he became a bit more withdrawn, shorter temper, just not enjoying things the way he used to.”

Smith said her husband first sought help in 2021 and received counselling and was deemed fit to return to work by the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) in 2022.

But when his symptoms became worse, he went on another leave in 2023, where he was eventually diagnosed with PTSD.

“We’re unable to sleep in the same room because it’s just not safe,” she said.

“His nightmares are bad, and he acts out things in his sleep that he has no recollection of the next day.”

Smith said it was not only an uphill battle to receive the PTSD diagnosis but also to deal with the WCB.

“They kept moving the goalpost to approve his claim,” she said.

Smith said it took eight months before her husband’s most recent claim was approved and before he was offered treatment.

“They broke my husband. They broke him and nobody seems to care enough to want to fix him. The priority is just to get him off the WCB books so he’s no longer a financial burden. Nobody cares that they broke him, and it’s breaking us,” she said.

In a statement to CTV News, the WCB said with respect to individual claims, it encourages clients to reach out directly.

“We understand how important these decisions are and the impact they have on peoples’ lives, and we’re committed to collaboratively resolving any concerns. We have a robust review process in place that ensures our decisions are fair, thorough and grounded in the legislation and policies we must follow,” the board said.

But receiving workplace support is a growing challenge for many first responders, according to Wayfinders Wellness Society, a non-profit near Cochrane that supports first responders, military members and veterans living with PTSD injuries, and their families.

The organization said of the 792 psychological-injury claims filed by Alberta first responders in 2021, only 565 were accepted, while 227 were denied by the WCB.

“This is a systemic failure,” said Paul Wagman, founder and executive director of Wayfinders Wellness Society.

“Our first responders risk their lives daily for the safety of others. When they’re injured by trauma in the line of duty, they deserve care—not red tape, denial letters and pressure to return to work before they’ve healed.”

Wagman said WCB Alberta and other insurance providers are denying claims and delaying access to care despite protections set out under Bill 27.

Under the legislation, first responders diagnosed with PTSD injury are to be presumed to have sustained their injury through service, which entitles them to timely treatment without first having to prove it.

“We see the damage caused when people are denied the care they are legally entitled to. This is not just a policy issue—it’s a public health emergency within our first responder community. We are losing responders to this crisis,” he said.

Wayfinders Wellness Society is calling on the government to strengthen its oversight of WCB Alberta’s presumptive care processes and on insurance providers and employers to ensure consistency and transparency in handling claims.

CTV News has reached out to the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade, which oversees the WCB, for a response to the allegations and calls for action.

But we did not hear back.

In a statement, the WCB refutes the society’s interpretation of the claims data.

“When reviewing claim acceptance data for presumptive PTSD, it’s important to understand that many of the claims that are not accepted in a given year are due to workers choosing not to proceed,” the board said.

“These are often situations where an employer proactively reports a claim for a potential psychological injury, but the worker later confirms there is no injury. These cases do not reflect a denial decision by WCB. For claims under presumptive PTSD legislation, the only reasons a claim would not be accepted are if there is no confirmed PTSD diagnosis or if medical evidence shows that the diagnosis is not work-related.”

Smith believes CPS also has a responsibility to better support its members.

“You’re kind of forgotten about. There really isn’t any involvement, any support, any information about what to do and how to do it,” she said.

“It seems that they should be insisting that their employees are better, not just forced back to work.”

In a statement, CPS told CTV News the psychological health and resilience of members is a deep commitment and priority for the service.

“Health-care providers working with members who report workplace injury, including physical or mental injury or distress, are required by legislation to submit a WCB claim within 48 hours. In some cases, WCB claims may be denied, and we fully understand the frustrations around this process,” CPS said.

“CPS offers assistance to members to help them navigate the WCB process as best we can to ensure all necessary steps are followed.”

According to CPS, around 19 per cent of police officers are currently on leave or accommodations, many due to physical or mental injuries, with 13 per cent of those officers being accommodated in roles that contribute to the service.

“We also recognize that leaves and accommodations, while essential to supporting the health and wellness of our members, can have a cascading impact across the service by affecting staffing levels, operational capacity and team dynamics,” CPS said.

“We are actively investing in our people and working to strengthen and evolve our processes, including navigating these ripple effects.”

Smith said the City of Calgary is looking for an accommodated position for her husband to return to work, though she believes he’s far from ready.

“We have a six-year-old, and she thinks I’m the funny one in our family. I’m not the funny one. My husband is the funniest person I’ve ever met, but she thinks I’m the funny one, and that’s heartbreaking to me because she doesn’t get to see him the way he was.”