Introduced Version
HOUSE BILL No. 1180
_____
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 10-17.
Synopsis: Mental health care for veterans with PTSD. Establishes the
returning Hoosier warrior mental health wellness pilot program (pilot
program). Provides that the Indiana department of veterans' affairs shall
administer the pilot program. Provides that a qualified service member
may receive certain financial assistance from the military family relief
fund (fund) for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Provides that the pilot program is funded by the fund. Requires, for the
state fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2025, and ending before July
1, 2026, that the department of insurance deposit $10,000,000 of
insurance premiums tax collected into the fund.
Effective: Upon passage; July 1, 2025.
Moseley
January 8, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public
Safety.
2025 IN 1180—LS 6320/DI 116 Introduced
First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
HOUSE BILL No. 1180
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
public safety.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 10-17-12-0.7, AS AMENDED BY P.L.61-2023,
2 SECTION 5, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 0.7. The purpose of the fund established in section
4 8 of this chapter is to provide:
5 (1) short term financial assistance to families of qualified service
6 members; and
7 (2) necessary financial assistance to a qualified service
8 member under IC 10-17-12.1.
9 SECTION 2. IC 10-17-12-8, AS AMENDED BY P.L.42-2020,
10 SECTION 13, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
11 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 8. (a) The military family relief fund is established
12 to provide:
13 (1) short term assistance with food, housing, utilities, medical
14 services, basic transportation, child care, education, employment
15 or workforce, and other essential family support expenses that
16 have become difficult to afford for qualified service members or
17 dependents of qualified service members; and
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1 (2) assistance under IC 10-17-12.1.
2 (b) Except as provided in section 9 of this chapter and
3 IC 10-17-12.1, the department shall expend the money in the fund
4 exclusively to provide grants for assistance as described in subsection
5 (a).
6 (c) The department shall give priority to applications for grants
7 from the fund for assistance from the fund described in subsection
8 (a)(1) to qualified service members or dependents of qualified service
9 members who have never received a grant under this chapter.
10 (d) Subject to the approval of the budget agency, the commission
11 shall establish the maximum total dollar amount of grants for
12 assistance described in subsection (a)(1) that may be expended in a
13 state fiscal year. Once the maximum total dollar amount of grants that
14 may be expended in a state fiscal year is reached, no additional grants
15 may be authorized until the start of the following state fiscal year.
16 (e) The director shall each year provide a report to the budget
17 committee concerning the grant program under this chapter.
18 (f) A qualified service member or the qualified service member's
19 dependent may be eligible to receive assistance from the fund for
20 assistance described in subsection (a)(1).
21 (g) The commission shall administer the fund.
22 SECTION 3. IC 10-17-12.1 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
23 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
24 JULY 1, 2025]:
25 Chapter 12.1. Returning Hoosier Warrior Mental Health
26 Wellness Pilot Program
27 Sec. 1. The definitions in IC 10-17-12 apply throughout this
28 chapter.
29 Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "DSM" refers to the most recent
30 edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and
31 Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
32 Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "program" refers to the
33 returning Hoosier warrior mental health wellness pilot program
34 established by section 5 of this chapter.
35 Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "PTSD" refers to posttraumatic
36 stress disorder.
37 Sec. 5. (a) The returning Hoosier warrior mental health wellness
38 pilot program is established to provide financial assistance from
39 the fund to a qualified service member for nonreimbursed costs
40 associated with the treatment of PTSD resulting from the qualified
41 service member's service in the armed forces or national guard.
42 The department shall administer the program.
2025 IN 1180—LS 6320/DI 116 3
1 (b) In order for a qualified service member to qualify for
2 assistance from the program, the qualified service member must:
3 (1) be an Indiana resident;
4 (2) be diagnosed with PTSD by the qualified service member's
5 treating physician based on the diagnostic criteria identified
6 in the DSM;
7 (3) submit an application to the department on a form and in
8 the manner prescribed by the department;
9 (4) certify in writing to the department that the financial
10 assistance will be used only for counseling, medication, or
11 other medical expenses described in subsection (d) directly
12 related to the treatment of PTSD that are not paid or
13 reimbursed from any other source; and
14 (5) agree to provide the department with any information
15 necessary for the department to administer this chapter.
16 (c) Upon review of the qualified service member's application
17 under this section, the department shall provide financial
18 assistance to a qualified service member who:
19 (1) satisfies the requirements described in subsection (b); and
20 (2) provides documentation necessary for the department to
21 verify the amount of financial assistance required for
22 counseling, medication, or other medical expenses described
23 in subsection (d) that are not paid or reimbursed from any
24 other source.
25 (d) Financial assistance received under subsection (c) may be
26 used to pay expenses related to the treatment of PTSD not paid or
27 reimbursed from any other source for:
28 (1) counseling provided by a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or a
29 mental health counselor licensed under IC 25-23.6-8.5;
30 (2) clinical mental health services for the qualified service
31 member ordered or otherwise required by a veteran problem
32 solving court;
33 (3) prescription medication; and
34 (4) any other medical or counseling services or equipment
35 approved by the department.
36 Sec. 6. The commission may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2
37 necessary to administer this chapter.
38 Sec. 7. This chapter expires July 1, 2027.
39 SECTION 4. [EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE] (a) The definitions
40 in IC 10-17-12, and IC 10-17-12.1, as added by this act, apply
41 throughout this SECTION.
42 (b) Notwithstanding IC 27-1-18-2(c), for the state fiscal year
2025 IN 1180—LS 6320/DI 116 4
1 beginning after June 30, 2025, and ending before July 1, 2026, the
2 department of insurance shall transfer to the fund ten million
3 dollars ($10,000,000) from insurance premiums tax funds collected
4 under IC 27-1-18-2. Funds transferred to the fund under this
5 SECTION shall not revert to the state general fund.
6 (c) This SECTION expires July 1, 2026.
7 SECTION 5. An emergency is declared for this act.
2025 IN 1180—LS 6320/DI 116