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2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
2023 ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTIO N 90
November 7, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives KURTZ, MOORE OMOKUNDE,
RIEMER, VINING, EDMING, C. ANDERSON, ANDRACA, BARE, BINSFELD, BRANDTJEN,
CALLAHAN, CONLEY, CONSIDINE, DITTRICH, DONOVAN, DOYLE, DRAKE, DUCHOW,
EMERSON, GUNDRUM, GUSTAFSON, JOERS, S. JOHNSON, KITCHENS, KRUG, MACCO,
MAGNAFICI, MELOTIK, MURPHY, MURSAU, NEDWESKI, NOVAK, O'CONNOR,
OHNSTAD, ORTIZ-VELEZ, PALMERI, PRONSCHINSKE, RATCLIFF, RETTINGER, ROZAR,
SCHMIDT, SHANKLAND, SHELTON, SINICKI, SNODGRASS, SPIROS, STEFFEN, STUBBS,
SUBECK, WICHGERS and JACOBSON, cosponsored by Senators TESTIN, WIRCH,
BALLWEG, BRADLEY, CABRAL-GUEVARA, CARPENTER, COWLES, FELZKOWSKI,
FEYEN, HESSELBEIN, JAMES, LARSON, MARKLEIN, NASS, PFAFF, ROYS, SPREITZER,
TAYLOR and WANGGAARD. Referred to Committee on Rules.
***AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
Relating to: declaring November 2023 as Veterans' Mental Health and Suicide
Awareness Month in Wisconsin.
Whereas, Wisconsin is home to more than 331,000 veterans who have faithfully
answered the call of military service; and
Whereas, veterans experience high levels of stress when transitioning from
military to civilian life, and about half of returning veterans do not immediately
receive the resources, benefits, and services that they need; and
Whereas, veterans are more likely to become chronically homeless than
nonveterans, experience disproportionately high unemployment rates, and face
harsh and undeserved stigma upon returning home after service; and
Whereas, veterans' homes and family lives are often burdened by afflictions
like post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, physical injury, anxiety
and depression, and substance use disorder; and
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LRB-4956/1
DFA:emw
2023 - 2024 Legislature
Whereas, veterans are five times more likely to experience depression and 15
times more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder than nonveterans;
and
Whereas, 40 to 50 percent of Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans have been
diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder; and
Whereas, over the past 20 years, 30,000 active-duty service members and
veterans have tragically died by suicide, which is more than four times the number
of service members killed in active combat in that time; and
Whereas, suicide is the second leading cause of death among veterans between
the ages of 18 and 44; and
Whereas, the critical work of nonprofit organizations has raised public
awareness of veteran mental health issues like suicide, substance abuse,
post-combat injuries, and the transition from military service to civilian life; and
Whereas, the 22 Pushup Challenge has played a vital role in engaging veterans
in supporting their comrades coping with mental health challenges, partnering with
organizations dedicated to empowering veterans and delivering critical mental
health services to veterans and their families; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin
Legislature declares November 2023 as Veterans' Mental Health and Suicide
Awareness Month in Wisconsin.
(END)
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