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Boca Rep. Emily Slosberg says PTSD diagnosis inspired her to fight for 'underrepresented'

Palm Beach Post - 12/3/2019

LOXAHATCHEE -- Speaking publicly for the first time since her hospitalization, state Rep. Emily Slosberg told reporters Tuesday that she is "100 percent better" after being diagnosed with PTSD stemming from her twin sister's tragic death nearly 24 years ago.

"When you don't take care of trauma and you don't ask for help, you don't deal with those issues as they arise," Slosberg said ahead of a Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation meeting at Palm Beach State College'sLoxahatchee campus.

The Boca Raton-area Democrat was involuntarily hospitalized for a mental-health evaluation in October. A Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy concluded that Slosberg might be "a danger to herself" because of her behavior, which included her saying that her hands were "on fire" when they showed no injuries.

On Feb. 23, 1996, seven teenagers, including then 14-year-old Slosberg and her twin sister Dori, crammed into the back seat of a Honda Accord. Dori and four others died after the 19-year-old Accord driver sped on Palmetto Park Road, lost control of the car and crashed. The victims weren't wearing seat belts.

After the accident, Slosberg's father, Irv, turned to public service to try to prevent similar tragedies. As a state lawmaker, the elder Slosberg pushed driver safety legislation. Emily Slosberg then followed in her father's legislative footsteps.

Declining to discuss the events surrounding her hospitalization, Slosberg said she has "no shame in coming out and saying I have PTSD."

"There are things that I watch out for, certain trigger words and certain coping skills with PTSD that I've learned -- techniques to help deal with it," she said.

After taking personal time, Slosberg said she is ready to be back at work and is "inspired to fight for those who are underrepresented."

Slosberg said she'd like to request that the Florida Legislature creates a new committee on mental health and developmental disability issues.

"In other states, they have a full committee just on mental health. I think it's important that we prioritize those that are underrepresented in our system," she said.

Slosberg, whose personal experience with being evaluated under the Baker Act left her with a "new understanding," said there's an inequality when it comes to addressing mental health versus physical health that she wants to level.

"When it comes to physical injury, health insurance covers just about anywhere you want to in the state," she said. "When it comes to mental health, there's no parity. There's only a few places that will actually cover your mental health. Nobody will take you."

She also wants to promote awareness and help people diagnosed with mental illnesses access treatment.

"You don't know who to call when you need help. I think we could do more when we it comes to awareness. What do I do? Who do I call? What are the proper channels? It's not out there. It's just like swept under a rug," she said.

Slosberg is supporting a bill filed by state Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, that aims to protect conversations between first responders and first responder peers who have been trained to provide physical or emotional support. She hopes it will get first responders to speak more openly about PTSD and other mental health issues to people they can trust.

The lawmaker also filed legislation to bolster the texting-while-driving ban to prohibit drivers from holding or touching cell phones. She also wants to change the seat belt law to require all drivers and passengers, regardless of age or location in the car, to be buckled in.

Slosberg said "not for a minute" did she consider resigning, and plans to run for re-election.

"I got into it for a good purpose: I lost my twin sister. Maybe I'm not so good with always taking care of the personal details surrounding it and dealing with the trauma as best as I could have been, which I am now and I have," she said.

hmorse@pbpost.com

@mannahhorse

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