Bill would support veterans in crises

Veterans experiencing mental health crises could soon receive additional support under legislation given executive action by the House Committee on Appropriations on Monday.

House Bill 1181 would provide outreach and services to prevent suicide among veterans, said Serena Dolly, House Housing, Human Services & Veterans Committee research analyst.

The legislation creates the Veterans and Military Members Suicide Prevention Account and a community-based services grant program focused on suicide prevention.

The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs would provide an online database to service members and veterans on mental health and suicide prevention resources. Dolly said if legislators pass HB 1181, the database should become available in early December.

Veterans need avenues for support not only in a crisis, but at any moment, said Tom Moncrief, Grant County Veterans Advisory Board member. He said he supports measures to provide additional resources to veterans, but insists it should act as a starting point for further support.

“Anything that helps veterans is a good thing,” Moncrief said, “Awareness is the number one thing needed to address these rates.”

Dolly said the state is participating in the governor’s challenge to combat service member-related suicides. As part of that challenge, the proposed legislation would report biannual data to the corresponding agencies on the implementation of plans to address rising suicide rates.

Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, and two of his sons served in the military. From what they witnessed, he said the aftermath effects of war can happen to any person’s mental well-being. No veteran in crisis is an anomaly, he said.

Legislators are extending and modifying the Safer Homes, Suicide Aware Task Force if HB 1181 passes to expand on prior efforts to address the mental health crisis. The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs would become more involved in addressing rising suicide rates.

House Committee on Appropriations staff member Linda Merelle said the estimated cost for the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs is about $630,000 for the 2023 fiscal year and, after that, $394,000 recurring annually. The legislation also costs the University of Washington around $100,000 annually.

If passed, a prevent suicide license plate emblem would become available to purchase by vehicle owners to increase awareness and direct revenue toward solutions. The emblem would include digits of the suicide hotline. The fiscal impact is around $28,000 annually for the Department of Licensing, Merelle said.

Moncrief suggested additional ways to increase awareness, including expanding education and hosting community town halls where anyone can access the information. He said this would help reach older veterans not using the internet as frequently as younger generations.

Alfie Alvarado, director for the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, said HB 1181 is an implementation bill with many components.

“HB 1181 is a capstone bill,” Alvarado said, “to get our entire Washington state community engaged in preventing veteran service-member and family member suicide.”

She said the WVA supports efforts to address the crisis at hand, but her department needs funding. Without proper funding, the WVA cannot implement the legislation, she said.

Legislators voted unanimously to move House Bill 1181 out of committee with a “do pass” recommendation during an executive session Monday. Representatives will hear the legislation for debate on the chamber floor at a later date.

The Herald reached out to the nonprofit North Central Washington Veterans, but the organization declined to comment on the proposed legislation.