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MFPRSI. Municipal Fire & Police Retirement System of Iowa

Medical Protocols

Pre-Employment Mental Health Evaluation

On May 3, 2024, Governor Reynolds signed into law HF 2680 effective July 1, 2024. In addition to changes to the disability program, HF 2680 requires MFPRSI to establish a pre-employment mental health evaluation for covered members. Below is a memo outlining standards adopted by the Board of Trustees at its October 3, 2024, meeting.

City Mental Health Evaluation Memo

Medical Protocol Forms

Fire

    Please note that the NFPA 1582 standards automatically disqualify individuals with certain medical conditions. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), however, an individual may not be automatically disqualified from a position based on a certain diagnosis or medical history. Instead, the ADA requires a case-by-case evaluation of the individual’s ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation and without posing a direct threat to self or others. For that reason, any automatic disqualifiers in the above-referenced protocol standards must be disregarded.

    Police

      In addition to the ACOEM standards police officer candidates must complete a stress test. Candidates must achieve a level of 12 METS on a treadmill with no evidence of ischemia, arrhythmias, or other cardiovascular conditions that may interfere with the safe performance of a police officer's job duties.

      Medical Protocols Information for Employers

      The Iowa Code provides for the creation and administration of a pre-employment disability program for firefighters and police officers covered by Iowa Code Chapter 411. The statute authorizes MFPRSI's board of trustees to select a medical board (Iowa Code Chapter 411.5(8)) and to implement various program requirements, as follows:

      1. Creation of a statewide network for conduct of the entrance medical examinations for firefighters and police officers, in consultation with the Medical Board (Iowa Code Chapter 411.5(8)). The statewide network was established to ensure uniform medical entrance protocol examinations were performed for each new employee and to facilitate the delivery of consistent and uniform information to both the cities and MFPRSI concerning individuals who are entering employment with the individual departments. [Effective January 1, 2005]
      2. Establishment of a wellness guideline for dissemination to the employing cities, for consideration as a voluntary program, which is subject to collective bargaining (Iowa Code Chapter 400.8A).
      3. Formulation of revised protocols for pre-employment medical examinations for firefighters and police officers (Iowa Code Chapter 400.8). NFPA 1582 Chapter 6 and ACOEM Guidance for Medical Evaluation of Law Enforcement Officers for firefighters and police officers, respectively. [Effective March 1, 2016]
      4. Formulation of revised protocols for pre-employment mental health evaluations for firefighters and police officers (Iowa Code Chapter 400.8). Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) Firefighter Candidate Interpretive Report and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) for firefighters and police officers, respectively. [Effective July 1, 2024]
      5. Formulation of revised protocols for pre-employment mental health evaluations for firefighters and police officers (Iowa Code Chapter 400.8). Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) Firefighter Candidate Interpretive Report and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) Police Candidate Interpretive Report for firefighters and police officers, respectively. Psychologist interview alongside the MMPI evaluation. [Effective January 1, 2025]

      Notes:

      • The protocol documents may be printed from MFPRSI’s web site at www.mfprsi.org.
      • For physical pre-employment entrance medical protocol examinations, a participating city may use any clinic on the “List of Network Clinics” document.
        • A fee schedule is provided for each clinic on the “Fee Schedule” document.
      • For mental pre-employment entrance medical protocol examinations, a participating city may use the same medical physician used to administer, score, and interpret police officer candidates for firefighter candidates.
        • If a city needs assistance with coordinating an MMPI, please contact MFPRSI.
      • A copy of the completed physical and mental protocol packet shall be provided by the clinic to the participating city, and the city shall provide a copy to MFPRSI within 5 days of completion.
      • Each physical protocol examination must be signed by an M.D., and not a physician assistant.
        • Physical protocols signed by a physician assistant will be rejected by MFPRSI.
      • Invoices for all protocol examination services shall be forwarded to the participating city.

      Expiration of Medical Examination Report

      The medical examination report prepared as a result of a medical examination of an applicant pursuant to the retirement system’s medical protocols may be relied upon by a city for twelve months after the date of the report, provided; however, if the date of commencement of employment is more than sixty days after the date of the medical examination, the applicant must certify whether he or she has had a material change in medical status since the date of the examination. An updated medical examination and report is required prior to hiring in the event the applicant does not begin employment within the twelve-month period, or if the applicant does not begin employment within the 60 day period and cannot certify that there has been no material change in medical status.

      If a member's date of hire is more than 60 days following the date the physician signed the protocol exam form, they must fill out the following form:

      Health Certification Form