Dear Mr. Ballinger and others,

Dear Mr. Ballinger and others,

As a taxpayer, small business owner, and retired emergency responder, I am writing to ask where you stand on an issue that affects thousands of Arkansas families but receives far too little attention: medical and mental-health coverage for current and retired emergency responders suffering from PTSD and service-related injuries.

Do you believe Arkansas has a responsibility to provide long-term medical and behavioral health support for firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and law enforcement officers who develop PTSD as a direct result of their service?

I entered emergency services at 17 years old and spent 24 years serving various communities in fire, EMS, and law enforcement. During that time, I was repeatedly exposed to fatal accidents, child deaths, violent crime scenes, suicides, fires, and mass-casualty incidents. Do you agree that this kind of chronic exposure over decades is fundamentally different from a single traumatic event and that its consequences often emerge or worsen after retirement?

When emergency responders retire, should they reasonably be expected to “move on” without access to care, even though the trauma and injuries are service-connected and lifelong?

Are you aware that studies consistently show PTSD rates among emergency responders are dramatically higher than the general population, with symptoms frequently worsening after retirement and contributing to sleep disorders, cardiovascular disease, obesity, chronic pain, and reduced life expectancy?

In my case, years of service resulted in multiple orthopedic surgeries, spinal injuries, chronic pain, and severe anxiety. Yet my private insurance will not cover medically necessary treatments—such as weight-loss therapy—that would reduce joint stress, pain, and long-term healthcare costs.

Do you believe it is fiscally responsible to deny preventative care now, only to increase long-term disability and medical costs later?

If elected, would you support legislation that:

• Establishes state-level medical and behavioral health coverage for emergency responders, including retirees?
• Recognizes PTSD as an occupational injury, not a personal failure?
• Ensures continuous access to care rather than coverage that ends at retirement?
• Expands access to treatment in rural Arkansas, where resources are limited?

As a small business owner, I understand the importance of accountability, efficiency, and long-term cost control. As a taxpayer, I believe supporting those who protected our communities is both morally right and fiscally prudent.

Emergency responders give their healthiest years to Arkansas. My question to you is simple: Will Arkansas stand by them when the consequences of that service finally surface?

I appreciate your time and respectfully ask for your position on this issue.

Austin Kennedy

(This was sent to Bob Ballinger, Bryan King, Hunter Rivett, and others. Hunter Rivett was the only response I got back. A.K.)