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SB 245

MENTAL HEALTH: Provides relative to treatments for veterans. (8/1/26) (OR SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Brach Myers

Louisiana will require a plan from the Department of Health to prevent veteran suicides, emphasize barrier-free care, and use rapid PTSD interventions.

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
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Bill Summary · SB 245

Summary: Senate Bill 245 (2026) – Louisiana

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes a public health framework to prevent veteran suicides in Louisiana.
  • Requires the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), Office of Behavioral Health, to develop a comprehensive plan aimed at preventing veteran suicides and improving access to care for veterans.

Key provisions

  • Creation of a veteran suicide prevention plan:
    • LDH, Office of Behavioral Health, must develop a comprehensive plan to prevent veteran suicides.
    • The plan should emphasize connecting veterans to ongoing, barrier-free care.
    • The plan should include the use of non-traditional, high-impact interventions designed to rapidly stabilize post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
  • Plan submission deadline:
    • The department must submit the completed plan to the Louisiana Legislature no later than January 1, 2027.
  • Effective date and statutory addition:
    • The bill adds a new statute, R.S. 28:810, effective August 1, 2026.

Who/what is affected

  • Primary: Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), specifically the Office of Behavioral Health.
  • Beneficiaries: Veterans in Louisiana, who would benefit from improved suicide prevention strategies, barrier-free access to care, and rapid PTSD interventions.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Enactment date: Effective August 1, 2026.
  • Plan development window: LDH has until January 1, 2027, to develop and submit the plan to the legislature.
  • Reporting: Requires legislative submission of the plan; no separate reporting requirements beyond the plan submission are specified in the bill.

Additional notes

  • The bill signals a cross-cutting public health approach, emphasizing collaboration and integration of non-traditional interventions to address PTSD symptoms and suicide risk among veterans.
  • It does not specify funding levels, programmatic details, or implementation mechanisms beyond plan development and submission.

If you’d like, I can add potential implementation questions (e.g., funding, interagency collaboration, data sharing, metrics for success) or compare this bill to existing Louisiana policies on veteran services and suicide prevention.

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

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