Livingston Today

Rep. Bollin supports mental health services for veterans

This week, Rep. Bollin voted to support several bills aimed at improving mental health services for Michigan’s veterans. She supported House Bills 5279, 5280, and 5720.

HB 5279 places the Buddy to Buddy Volunteer Mentorship Program within state law. This will create stability for the program, which offers one-on-one, veteran-to-veteran mentorship.

HB 5280 creates a transition program for all Army and Air National Guard members in the state. Modeled after many of the same courses that are required for service members leaving the armed forces, this program will focus solely on mental health and wellbeing, navigating the military to civilian transition, and exploring ways to find purpose after service.

HB 5720 ensures that members of the Michigan National Guard have access to all of the mental health services that other military service members and veterans have access to in Michigan.

Bollin also shared her concerns with two measures that she ultimately voted against. She submitted the following no-vote explanations to the House Clerk:

"HB 5276 – This bill will create a new office of mental health and suicide prevention and move the requirement for this service out of DHHS. Similar programs are housed under DHHS. Program details on why and how it will be administered and monitored are not included in enough detail."

"HB 5277 – This bill will require an interagency cooperative agreement as a result of creating a new office of mental health and suicide prevention moving this service out of DHHS and into MVAA. Similar programs are housed under DHHS. Program details on why and how it will be administered and monitored are not included in enough detail."