The House recently passed a bipartisan bill package aimed at providing mental health and substance abuse resources for service members, veterans, and their families. State Rep. Jennifer Conlin, chair of the House Committee on Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security, praised the effort that led to the passage of the bill package. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that veterans and their families have access to essential mental health and substance abuse resources.
One of the bills in the package is HB 5276, which will establish an Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention within the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. State Rep. Christine Morse sponsored HB 5277, which focuses on interagency collaboration and veteran outreach. Morse, who is married to a Navy veteran, understands the challenges that veterans face when transitioning from active duty to civilian life, especially those who served in combat. The bills aim to make this transition easier by providing increased access to mental health services with the goal of reducing the epidemic of veteran suicide.
Another bill in the package is HB 5279, which was sponsored by State Rep. Felicia Brabec. Brabec highlighted the importance of access to mental health care for all Michiganders and expressed her excitement about sponsoring legislation that will provide necessary support for veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country.
The passing of this bipartisan bill package shows a commitment from our elected officials to ensure that those who serve our country have access to the resources they need to maintain their mental well-being during their transition back into civilian life.
