Senator Carlucci Holds Hearing on Veterans Mental Health

(New City, NY) The New York State Senate Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, chaired by Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) held a hearing on Veterans' Mental Health on Wednesday at the Clarkstown Town Hall in New City. 

Senators Thomas O'Mara and Joseph Addabbo joined Carlucci. 

The hearing will help the committee establish and propose comprehensive legislation to provide veterans with improved mental health treatment, ways to eliminate stigma, and increase access to care.

“We have a silent crisis among our veterans,” said Senator Carlucci. “According to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs we are losing, on average, 20 veterans a day to suicide. We know PTSD can be a contributing factor and the State has increased funding to the Joseph P. Dwyer program to address PTSD. We must also establish what more we can do to tailor our suicide prevention methods for veterans.”

The hearing gathered testimony from experts in the mental health field, those who work with veterans every day, and veterans who are dealing with mental health challenges,.

Written testimony will be accepted until Saturday, November 30, 2019.

To submit written testimony please email John Koury at jkoury@nysenate.gov.