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HB 5270

Military affairs: other; office of mental health; establish within the Michigan department of military and veterans affairs. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: HB 5261'25, HB 5259'25, HB 5271'25

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Joey Andrews and 31 co-sponsors

Creates an Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention within the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency to centralize veteran mental health data, outreach, and program grants.

bill electronically reproduced 11/12/2025
#mentalhealth:other #militaryaffairs:other #stateagencies(existing):militaryandveteransaffairs
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Bill Summary · HB 5270

Summary — HB 5270 (Protecting Veterans Mental Health Act)

Status: Introduced (filed Mar 14, 2025; first read Apr 7, 2025; bill reproduced Nov 12, 2025 and referred to Committee on Government Operations)
Tie-bar: HB 5261'25, HB 5259'25, HB 5271'25 (bills are tied together)

Purpose / Intent

Creates an Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention within the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) to centralize data collection, resource coordination, outreach, and program oversight related to veteran and service member mental health, substance use disorders, and suicide prevention.

Key provisions

  • Establishes the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in the MVAA (part of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs).
  • Director of MVAA appoints an office manager with career experience in veteran mental health and substance use disorders; manager is subject to classified civil service and reports to a director‑designated official.
  • Data collection requirements: the office shall collect statewide data on veteran mental health and substance use (including PTSD, traumatic brain injury, SUD, suicide/suicidal ideation), departmental efforts addressing these conditions, interagency agreement activities with MDHHS, yearly strategic goals, and utilization of the buddy‑to‑buddy program.
  • Annual reporting: by March 1 each year the office must report collected data and related information to the MVAA director and to the standing legislative committees on military and veterans affairs.
  • Grants: the office may administer grants (to local governments, nonprofits, or other entities) if appropriated and directed by the MVAA director.
  • Privacy & FOIA: collected data must not include personally identifying information. Writings about individual service members or veterans created/held by the agency/office are exempt from disclosure under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (1976 PA 442).
  • Resource guide: the office must create and distribute a free mental health and wellness resource guide that includes a self‑assessment and scoring rubric (informational only, not a clinical evaluation), provider listings with contact details, and a signs/symptoms checklist; the guide must be updated at least every 3 years and be made available in print/electronic form to National Guard members and other servicemembers in Michigan.
  • Program oversight: the manager shall oversee the Transition Bridge Program and, jointly with MDHHS, the interagency mental health resources/outreach agreement; delegation of day‑to‑day functions is permitted with MVAA director approval.
  • Data quality: the office is required to make best efforts to ensure timeliness and accuracy, including for aggregated external sources.

Who is affected

  • Veterans and active duty/reserve/Michigan National Guard service members in Michigan (beneficiaries of resources, assessments, and programs).
  • Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (administration, coordination, and reporting duties).
  • Local governments, nonprofit organizations, and other entities that may receive grants or be listed in the resource guide.
  • Legislators (receive annual reports) and the public (access to non‑identifiable aggregated data and resource materials).

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Office created upon enactment; manager appointed by the MVAA director.
  • Annual data/reporting deadline: March 1.
  • Resource guide update minimum frequency: once every 3 years.
  • Grant authority contingent on legislative appropriation and director direction.
  • Bill is tied to several other bills (HB 5261'25, HB 5259'25, HB 5271'25), which may affect enactment mechanics.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Centralizes veteran mental health data and resource coordination, which could improve service mapping, outreach, and program evaluation.
  • New staffing and administrative costs likely; grant activity depends on future appropriations.
  • Privacy protections are built in (PII exclusion and FOIA exemption for individual records), but scope of exemptions and data aggregation practices will merit oversight.
  • Could strengthen interagency coordination with MDHHS and standardize tools (self‑assessment, resource guide) available statewide.

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

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