SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 1

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Jeff Steinborn and Rodolpho "Rudy" S. Martinez

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE VETERANS' SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO CONDUCT LISTENING SESSIONS IN VARIOUS GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF THE STATE WITH VETERANS, VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS, REPRESENTATIVES OF CITIES, COUNTIES, NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS, TRIBES AND PUEBLOS, AND THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS DEPARTMENT TO ASSESS WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OR POLICIES ARE NEEDED AND TO IMPLEMENT THEM TO HELP PREVENT VETERAN SUICIDE IN NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, according to the United States department of veterans affairs, in 2014, an average of twenty veterans died from suicide each day; and

     WHEREAS, in 2014, veterans constituted eight and one-half percent of the United States population and, in that year, veterans accounted for eighteen percent of all deaths from suicide among adults in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, there is a high incidence of suicide among middle-aged and older veterans; and

     WHEREAS, in 2014, sixty-five percent of all veteran suicide victims were age fifty years or older; and

     WHEREAS, a state-by-state study released by the United States department of veterans affairs in 2017 concluded that the veteran suicide rate in New Mexico is significantly higher than the national veteran suicide rate and is the fourth-highest veteran suicide rate in the nation; and

     WHEREAS, screening and assessment processes have been set up throughout the United States department of veterans affairs system to assist in the identification of patients at risk for suicide; and

     WHEREAS, predictive modeling is used to determine which veterans may be at the highest risk of suicide so that providers can intervene early; and

     WHEREAS, veterans at the highest risk are identified before clinical signs of suicide are evident to save lives before crises occur; and

     WHEREAS, the United States department of veterans affairs is implementing a multifaceted system to take a proactive approach to combat veteran suicide, including tele-mental health services, software applications, telephone coaching and leveraging veteran centers and universities; and

     WHEREAS, it is of critical importance to consider which tools would be most effective to prevent veteran suicide in New Mexico and to implement them;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the veterans' services department be requested to convene a task force to conduct listening sessions in various geographic regions of the state with veterans, veterans organizations, representatives of cities, counties, Native American nations, tribes and pueblos and the workforce solutions department to assess what additional support or policies are needed to help prevent veteran suicide in New Mexico and to implement them; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the veterans' services department be requested to invite representatives from the United States department of veterans affairs and New Mexico's congressional delegation to participate in the task force; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to report its findings to the military and veterans' affairs committee; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of veterans' services, the secretary of workforce solutions, the secretary of Indian affairs, the co-chairs of the military and veterans' affairs committee, the United States department of veterans affairs and New Mexico's congressional delegation.

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