Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Ennis & Sen. Hansen & Sen. Townsend & Sen. Lawson & Rep. Bentz & Rep. Brady & Rep. Jaques & Rep. Mitchell

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

149th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 78

RECOGNIZING THE EFFICACY OF THE VETERANS RESPONSE TEAM AND THE NEED TO CONDUCT A STATEWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs defines post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a mental health problem that is developed after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, such as combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault; and

WHEREAS, nearly 20 out of every 100 veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and nearly 12 out of every 100 veterans who served in the Gulf War, and nearly 15 out of every 100 Vietnam War Veterans suffer from PTSD; and

WHEREAS, the New Castle County Police Department has demonstrated leadership in developing the Veterans Response Team; and

WHEREAS, the Veterans Response Team is a special unit that compliments the Crisis Intervention Unit and provides frontline and trauma response for veterans who are experiencing crisis; and

WHEREAS, the Veterans Response Team receives special training in de-escalation techniques, mental health first aid, and other critical life-saving skills that provide support to those individuals the Team encounters who are in need of assistance; and

WHEREAS, the Behavioral Health Consortium in their first report detailed and identified the veteran community as a priority area; and

WHEREAS, the Behavioral Health Consortium has the desire to further study the efficacy of a statewide Veterans Response Team and the benefit of providing this critical service to the veteran population;

NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 149 th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the Behavioral Health Consortium shall establish a Veterans Sub-Committee to operate under the Consortium’s Correction & Law Enforcement Committee. The Sub-Committee will have a specific focus on the behavioral and mental health needs of the veteran population in Delaware.