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Board briefed on veterans' mental-health package; $5M center appropriation and $2.5M TBI expansion recommended
Summary
Commissioner Kimberly Boswell summarized the Veteran's Mental Health Steering Committee's Comprehensive Plan and its six recommendations, including establishing an Alabama Veterans Resource Center with a proposed $5 million appropriation and $2.5 million to expand traumatic brain injury programs; the plan moves next to the governor for approval.
Commissioner Kimberly Boswell briefed the Board of Trustees on May 16 that the Veteran's Mental Health Steering Committee's (VMHSC) Comprehensive Plan was presented to and approved by the House and Senate veteran and military service committees and now proceeds to the governor.
Boswell summarized six VMHSC recommendations: establish the Alabama Veterans Resource Center (Act 2025-20) with a proposed $5 million appropriation from the Education Trust Fund supplemental; support $2.5 million in the Education Trust Fund to expand traumatic brain injury (TBI) programs; implement the S.A.F.E.R. Together program in Alabama through Act 2025-93; develop a partnership agreement between ADMH and the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA); organize a Veterans Mental Health Summit to educate providers and families; and evaluate pilot programs to identify scalable practices.
Boswell also noted that a recent national report shows overdose deaths have decreased and offered to distribute Narcan kits to interested parties. She said the ADMH leadership team is developing a strategic plan to present at the next board meeting.
The board received the report as information; no vote on the VMHSC recommendations was taken at the meeting. The VMHSC recommendations will move forward to the governor for consideration and potential appropriation.
