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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Rodriguez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

02/07/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Military Personnel & Family Trauma Treatment

SB 344

ANALYST Escudero

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$413.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

RELATES TO: HB 212

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Veteran Services (DVS)

No Response Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 344 appropriates $413.0 to Veteran Service Department in FY09 to provide clinical

service support for trauma treatment for veterans, military personnel, and their families.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $413.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY09 shall revert to the general

fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

As stated by DVS, trauma, both physical and mental, have now become the most sought after

treatment from veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. This would also provide service to

Senate Bill 344 – Page

2

the families who have either suffered trauma or are coping with the trauma suffered by the

veteran.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relationship to HB 212-Trujilllo

TECHNICAL ISSUES

Since DVS does not at the current time have the personnel or expertise in dealing with physical

or mental trauma, would DVS need to contract this service out. Since no area of the state is

specified would this treatment be provided state-wide.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

As stated by DVS, there is a large increase in women suffering from PTSD due to sexual trauma

suffered while in the military. Because of this there are very few avenues for these women to

pursue for therapy, This also a very specialized area of therapy. This bill would also include

men and families, important, since someone suffering the effects of PTSD never suffer alone.

PME/nt