Bill > LB414

This bill establishes a Suicide Mortality Review Team within the Department of Veterans' Affairs to comprehensively examine and address veteran suicide in Nebraska. The team will consist of representatives from various agencies, including the Department of Veterans' Affairs, Nebraska Violent Death Reporting System, Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors, and the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as additional appointed members such as an education administrator, hospital representative, emergency medical services representative, law enforcement officer, mental health professional, and veteran representative. The team's primary responsibilities include developing a data collection system for suicide mortalities, conducting annual analyses of suicide incidents, creating investigation protocols, studying existing statutes and services to reduce preventable suicides, and educating the public about suicide prevention. The review team will have the ability to request and access confidential records from various sources like medical records, law enforcement reports, and school records, with strict confidentiality protections to ensure sensitive information remains protected. By April 1st each year, the team will submit a detailed report to the Legislature and other organizations, summarizing suicide data and potentially recommending preventative actions, with the ultimate goal of understanding and reducing veteran suicide rates.

Military Affairs and Security

https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59149