HB 6007 — AN ACT CONCERNING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS.

General Assembly ProposedCommittee Bill No.

19525448 Referred to Committee on VETERANS' AND MILITARY AFFAIRS Introduced by:

REP.(VA) AN ACT CONCERNING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS.

FAZZINO, 83rd Dist.

AN ACT CONCERNING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS.

ThatSection the1. general statutes be amended to expand mental health services for veterans, including financial and other support for treatmentssuchas art therapy,counseling andperformative expression.

Statement(Effective ofJuly Purpose:1, 2023) (a) There is established a task force to study mental health services for veterans.

ToSuch expandstudy mentalshall healthinclude, but neednotbelimitedto, anexaminationoftheavailabilityofsuchservices in the state, the feasibility of expanding such services forand veterans.any research or other information concerning the therapeutic efficacy of such services.

(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:

(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;

(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives;

(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;

19525448 1 of 13 Committee Bill No.6007 (5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;

(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;

(7) The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, or the commissioner's designee;

(8) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or the commissioner's designee;

and (9) Two appointed by the Governor.

(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.

(d) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later than August 1, 2023.

Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.

(e)The speaker oftheHouse ofRepresentativesandthepresident pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force.

Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than September 1, 2023.

(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to veterans' and military affairs shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.

(g) Not later than January 1, 2024, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of theGeneralAssembly having cognizance ofmattersrelatingtoveterans' and military affairs, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes.

The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2024, whichever is later.

LCO No.

5448 2 of 3 Committee Bill No.

6007 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2023 New section Statement of Purpose:

To establish a task force to study mental health services for veteransand make recommendations for expansion of such services.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets.

Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except underlined.]e entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not Co-Sponsors:

REP.

FAZZINO, 83rd Dist.;

REP.

NOLAN, 39th Dist.

REP.

JOHNSON, 143rd Dist.

H.B.