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Bill

HD 6090

An Act establishing a veterans’ suicide mortality review and prevention council

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Josh Tarsky

Establishes a 15-member council to review veteran and active-duty suicides, identify risk factors and gaps, and publish annual, actionable prevention recommendations.

Reported, referred to the committee on Joint Rules, reported, rules suspended and referred to the committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs
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Bill Summary · HD 6090

Summary of HD 6090 (Session 194th) — An Act establishing a veterans’ suicide mortality review and prevention council

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes a dedicated council within the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services to study, review, and prevent veteran and active-duty military suicides in Massachusetts.
  • Aims to identify trends, systemic gaps, and risk factors; develop prevention strategies; and provide annual public reporting to inform policy, programs, and funding.

Key provisions

Creation and composition

  • Creates the Veterans’ Suicide Mortality Review and Prevention Council (the Council) within the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services.
  • Size and appointments: 15 members appointed by the Governor.
  • Representation (at least one-third of seats must be veterans per the bill’s definition):
    • 3 representatives from veteran service organizations
    • 3 mental health clinicians with experience in veteran care
    • 2 public health or epidemiology experts
    • 2 law enforcement or first responder representatives
    • 2 representatives from the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services
    • 1 member from the Massachusetts National Guard or Reserve
    • 2 family members of veterans who died by suicide
  • Term length: Staggered 3-year terms; up to one additional term for reappointment.

Roles and responsibilities

  • Review all veteran and active-duty military suicide deaths in Massachusetts, including:
    • Circumstances surrounding death
    • Prior mental health or medical interventions
    • Service utilization patterns
  • Identify:
    • Trends and systemic gaps
    • Risk factors affecting veteran populations
  • Recommend:
    • Prevention strategies
    • Legislation, program development, and resource allocation
  • Conduct case reviews with confidentiality in line with applicable laws
  • Publish an annual public report detailing aggregate findings and actionable recommendations

Administration and collaboration

  • The Executive Office of Veterans’ Services must provide:
    • Staff support
    • Data access
    • Administrative support
  • The Council may consult with outside experts or partner with academic institutions for research

Reporting and transparency

  • Annual comprehensive report due by December 31, to:
    • Governor
    • Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs
    • Clerks of the Massachusetts House and Senate
    • Secretary of Veterans’ Services
  • Report contents to include:
    • Aggregate statistics on veteran suicide deaths
    • Identified systemic gaps or risk patterns
    • Recommendations for prevention programs, funding, and legislative action

Funding

  • The Council may accept:
    • State appropriations
    • Federal grants
    • Private donations
  • Priority funding areas:
    • Staffing and data collection
    • Research and analysis
    • Outreach and implementation of recommended programs

Who is affected

  • Veterans and active-duty service members in Massachusetts (through improved monitoring, data collection, and prevention efforts)
  • Family members of veterans who died by suicide (represented on the Council)
  • State agencies and departments, notably the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services (infrastructure and data access)
  • Law enforcement, first responders, mental health professionals, public health/epidemiology experts (participating and consulting members)
  • General public, through annual public reports and transparency of findings

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: Not specified in the text provided; the act would become law upon passage.
  • Annual reporting: Due no later than December 31 each year.
  • Term structure: Members serve staggered 3-year terms; potential for one additional term.
  • Data and confidentiality: Council reviews deaths with confidentiality consistent with state and federal law; data access provided by the executive office.
  • Funding mechanism: Ability to receive multiple funding sources (state, federal, private) with prioritized allocations for staffing, data, research, and implementation.

Notes for readers

  • The bill codifies a formal, data-driven approach to understanding and preventing veteran suicides in Massachusetts.
  • Emphasizes collaboration across public health, clinical, law enforcement, veteran communities, and academic partners.
  • Focuses on actionable outcomes: annual reports, policy recommendations, and targeted use of funds to build prevention capacity.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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