Alabama veterans mental health plan focuses on crisis care, treatment access

State officials Wednesday agreed to recommend expanded services, new prevention programs and stronger partnerships between state agencies to improve mental health care and crisis intervention for Alabama veterans. 

The recommendations, presented Wednesday during an Alabama Veterans Mental Health Steering Committee meeting in Montgomery, focused on four primary goals: suicide prevention; enhancing crisis care and care transitions; increasing access to treatment, and addressing risk factors that contribute to mental health issues among veterans.

“[We’re] really trying to figure out, based on all the data and documents we’ve produced, where the gaps in services, and how can we best build those gaps,” said Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kimberly Boswell, who chairs the committee.

Alabama’s veterans experienced suicide at a rate of 35.4 per 100,000 in 2021, exceeding both the national veteran average and the state’s general population rate. A significant number of Alabamians, including veterans, suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBI), a condition linked to increased mental health challenges. Research indicates veterans in Alabama face higher rates of mental illness and substance abuse compared to their non-veteran counterparts.

The committee recommended establishing an Alabama Veterans Resources Center (AVRC), a partnership between the state and Alabama Power designed to serve as a centralized hub for veterans’ services. SB 70, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, which provides for its creation, was signed by Gov. Kay Ivey in February.

“We’re very, very excited about that Veterans Resource Center and looking forward to getting it up and running,” Boswell said.

The committee also recommended expanding programs for traumatic brain injuries, citing a $2.5 million allocation in the state’s Education Trust Fund budget. The funding would allow veterans with TBIs to receive care beyond the current two-year post-injury eligibility limit.

“The combination of traumatic brain injury and substance use disorder put veterans at the greatest risk of suicide, and addressing TBI is a really important goal of the group,” Boswell said.

Another recommendation is to implement the Storing Ammunition and Firearms to Enhance Resilience (SAFER) Together Program, an initiative promoting secure firearm and ammunition storage to reduce suicide risk. SB 40, sponsored by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, which would allow people experiencing suicidal thoughts to surrender a firearm to a licensed gun dealer, passed the Senate in February and is in position to be voted on in the House.

The committee also called for a formal partnership between the Alabama Department of Mental Health and the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs to improve coordination of behavioral health services as well as organizing a summit on veterans’ mental health to focus on improving awareness and education among service providers.

“We’re really excited about the partnership with ADVA and really working together to figure out how to truly address the behavioral health needs of veterans,” Boswell said. “They’re kind of the expert on the veterans and we’re kind of the expert on behavioral health, and we really feel very strongly about that partnership.”

The committee will finalize a final draft Friday to present to the Legislature and Gov. Kay Ivey.