CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION House Resolution No. 104Introduced by Assembly Member ReyesJune 06, 2024 Relative to veterans.LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTHR 104, as introduced, Reyes. Digest KeyBill TextWHEREAS, In California, our collective efforts are reducing the number of veterans living on our streets, with a 9-percent decrease between 2020 and 2022, from 11,401 to 10,395; andWHEREAS, While this feat is celebrated, there are still thousands of veterans in California who will not have a place to sleep tonight and perhaps many more who are on the verge of homelessness7.5 percent of veterans in California live below the poverty line; andWHEREAS, Homelessness, suicide, post-traumatic stress disorder, and food insecurity disproportionately affect veterans in California and nationwide; andWHEREAS, California and veteran-serving organizations are working to implement the Veterans Support to Self-Reliance Pilot Program, which will provide much-needed support to vulnerable older veterans; andWHEREAS, In fiscal years 2022 and 2023, County Veterans Service Officers assisted veterans with a total of approximately 261,000 claims generating awards of approximately $458,000,000, including $1,500,000 through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, to coordinate suicide prevention services for veterans and their families; andWHEREAS, The Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program has helped produce over 100 affordable housing developments with 6,389 affordable units since 2014; andWHEREAS, Senate Bill 326 (2023) and Assembly Bill 531 (2023) reformed Californias behavioral health system and modernized Californias behavioral health services system with funding dedicated to housing veterans who have behavioral health needs or substance use disorders; andWHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, and other veteran service providers are also engaged in the process and helping to ensure veterans are a priority in the reform of the behavioral health system; andWHEREAS, California must continue to educate providers and other valued constituencies about veteran cultural competency and expand their local and statewide networks to join with the former MHSA Coalition, state and local veteran organizations, and local public officials to ensure veteran engagement in local Behavioral Health Services Act policy and funding decisions; andWHEREAS, The California Association of Veteran Service Agencies (CAVSA) is a consortium of six nonprofit veteran service providers working together to address the needs of Californias veterans; andWHEREAS, CAVSA works with legislators, regulators, agency staff, and leaders in cities and counties across the state to advocate on behalf of struggling veterans; now, therefore, be itResolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Legislature declares the month of June as California Veterans Awareness Month; and be it furtherResolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION House Resolution No. 104Introduced by Assembly Member ReyesJune 06, 2024 Relative to veterans.LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTHR 104, as introduced, Reyes. Digest Key
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION
House Resolution
No. 104
Introduced by Assembly Member ReyesJune 06, 2024
Introduced by Assembly Member Reyes
June 06, 2024
Relative to veterans.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
HR 104, as introduced, Reyes.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
WHEREAS, In California, our collective efforts are reducing the number of veterans living on our streets, with a 9-percent decrease between 2020 and 2022, from 11,401 to 10,395; and
WHEREAS, While this feat is celebrated, there are still thousands of veterans in California who will not have a place to sleep tonight and perhaps many more who are on the verge of homelessness7.5 percent of veterans in California live below the poverty line; and
WHEREAS, Homelessness, suicide, post-traumatic stress disorder, and food insecurity disproportionately affect veterans in California and nationwide; and
WHEREAS, California and veteran-serving organizations are working to implement the Veterans Support to Self-Reliance Pilot Program, which will provide much-needed support to vulnerable older veterans; and
WHEREAS, In fiscal years 2022 and 2023, County Veterans Service Officers assisted veterans with a total of approximately 261,000 claims generating awards of approximately $458,000,000, including $1,500,000 through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, to coordinate suicide prevention services for veterans and their families; and
WHEREAS, The Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program has helped produce over 100 affordable housing developments with 6,389 affordable units since 2014; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 326 (2023) and Assembly Bill 531 (2023) reformed Californias behavioral health system and modernized Californias behavioral health services system with funding dedicated to housing veterans who have behavioral health needs or substance use disorders; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, and other veteran service providers are also engaged in the process and helping to ensure veterans are a priority in the reform of the behavioral health system; and
WHEREAS, California must continue to educate providers and other valued constituencies about veteran cultural competency and expand their local and statewide networks to join with the former MHSA Coalition, state and local veteran organizations, and local public officials to ensure veteran engagement in local Behavioral Health Services Act policy and funding decisions; and
WHEREAS, The California Association of Veteran Service Agencies (CAVSA) is a consortium of six nonprofit veteran service providers working together to address the needs of Californias veterans; and
WHEREAS, CAVSA works with legislators, regulators, agency staff, and leaders in cities and counties across the state to advocate on behalf of struggling veterans; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Legislature declares the month of June as California Veterans Awareness Month; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.