Bill > A1094

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the outcomes and efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline, commonly referred to as the vet to vet hotline, and to submit a report of its findings to the Legislature, and permits the Adjutant General to submit a proposal for legislation that improves the laws of this State regarding the efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline. The study will be for a two-year period and will be based on an analysis of national suicide data and data collected from the helpline. The study will include, but not be limited to: (1) the efficacy of the helpline in leading veterans to sustained mental health regimens and suicide prevention; (2) the helpline's visibility; (3) the role of the helpline as part of the department's mental health care services; (4) whether receiving sustained mental health care services affects suicidality and whether veterans previously receiving department mental health care services use the helpline in times of crisis; (5) the helpline's effectiveness in assisting veterans at risk for suicide when contacted by a non-veteran; (6) the helpline's overall efficacy in preventing suicides and whether the number of contacts affects such efficacy; (7) the lines long-term efficacy in preventing repeated suicide attempts and when such efficacy is temporary; (8) when referral to mental health care services affects the risk of suicide; and (9) the helpline's efficacy in promoting continued mental health care for those veterans who are at high risk for suicide and whose suicide was prevented.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Daniel Benson (D)*,  Wayne DeAngelo (D)*,  Carol Murphy (D)*,  Ronald Dancer (R),  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee (on 01/14/2020)

Official Document