Veterans Mental Health Awareness

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 26-1009

BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Lindsay and Bradfield, Bacon, Barron, Boesenecker, Bottoms, Bradley, Brooks, Brown, Caldwell, Camacho, Carter, Clifford, DeGraaf, Duran, English, Espenoza, Feret, Flanell, Froelich, Garcia, Garcia Sander, Gilchrist, Goldstein, Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Hartsook, Jackson, Johnson, Joseph, Keltie, Lukens, Mabrey, Martinez, Mauro, Nguyen, Paschal, Phillips, Richardson, Ricks, Rutinel, Sirota, Slaugh, Smith, Soper, Stewart K., Stewart R., Story, Suckla, Taggart, Titone, Valdez, Velasco, Willford, Winter T., Woodrow, Woog, Zokaie, McCluskie; also SENATOR(S) Kolker and Frizell, Amabile, Baisley, Ball, Bright, Carson, Catlin, Cutter, Danielson, Exum, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kirkmeyer, Lindstedt, Liston, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Pelton B., Pelton R., Rich, Roberts, Rodriguez, Snyder, Wallace, Weissman, Zamora Wilson, Coleman.

CONCERNING VETERANS MENTAL HEALTHAWARENESS. WHEREAS, Colorado is home to almost 350,000 veterans and 50,000 uniformed military personnel, and Colorado has one ofthe highest suicide rates among our veterans in the nation; and WHEREAS, In 2022, 178 veterans committed suicide in Colorado, which is significantly higher than the national suicide rate among civilians; and WHEREAS, Veterans honorably serve their country with courage and oftentimes return home with mental health barriers that hinder their transition to the civilian workforce; and WHEREAS, The Colorado General Assembly has increased access to mental health and addiction treatment and expanded wraparound social services to include employment, education, and housing, which have made positive impacts on numerous veterans' lives and helped make the transition to civilian life more seamless; and

WHEREAS, Innovative community response services have demonstrated measurable impacts in saving veterans' lives over the past three years; and WHEREAS, Organizations like Next Chapter. and Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs have enrolled more than 1,200 veterans in mental health services during the past three years, and no lives have been lost to suicide among the enrollees; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly ofthe State ofColorado, the Senate concurring herein: ( 1) That we commit to continuing to support our veterans by recognizing the obstacles they face when they return to civilian life. We recommit ourselves to supporting our veterans by expanding services and breaking down stigmas. (2) That we recognize the significant enduring sacrifice our veterans, Gold Star families, and uniformed personnel have made for our freedom and security, and we commit to expanding the community support. that demonstrates our persistent gratitude for their service to our way of life; and

(3) That we commit to seeking additional solutions to assist our veterans' transition to civilian life. Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to the Honorable Governor Jared Polis and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as Next Chapter and Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center.

Julie McCluskie SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

James Rashad Coleman Sr. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

Vanessa Reilly CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Esther van Mourik SECRETARY OF THE SENATE