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2013 -- S 0584 | |
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LC01884 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013 | |
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N | |
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RESPECTFULLY URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO PROVIDE SERVICES | |
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AND BENEFITS FOR RHODE ISLAND VETERANS | |
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Introduced By: Senators Felag, Bates, Pichardo, Ottiano, and Pearson | |
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Date Introduced: February 28, 2013 | |
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Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs | |
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WHEREAS, In its February 2012 annual report to the General Assembly, the Division of |
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Veterans’ Affairs predicted an increased demand for long-term nursing and dementia care |
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services, emphasizing that Rhode Island’s veterans population of 72,835 is aging; and |
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WHEREAS, Half of all veterans in this state are over 65 years of age; and |
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WHEREAS, The 2012 annual report concludes that the increase in older veterans will |
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increase the need for veterans services; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2012, over 75 percent of Rhode Island voters approved a state ballot to |
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provide $94,000,000 for the construction of a new Veterans’ Home and renovations to existing |
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facilities; and |
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WHEREAS, Not all senior veterans meet the eligibility for the state veterans’ home or |
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instead desire to remain in their home environment; and |
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WHEREAS, As of December 2008, an estimated 25 to 40 percent (400,000 to 640,000 |
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soldiers) of the over 1.6 million American service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan |
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have returned with psychological and neurological injuries associated with Post Traumatic Stress |
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disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), dubbed the “signature injuries” of the Iraq |
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War; and |
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WHEREAS, The current estimate of service members who will develop PTSD within a |
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year of leaving combat is between 10 and 30 percent; and |
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WHEREAS, Approximately 3,000 veterans per year encounter the state’s behavioral |
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healthcare system, but there are many more veterans in need of services who do not receive |
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timely help; and |
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WHEREAS, A 2006 study illustrates the need in Rhode Island for trauma-related |
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services for veterans from the Gulf Wars (between 2,019 and 6,183 veterans in need), and other |
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wars (between 10,794 and 33,054 veterans in need); and |
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WHEREAS, Rhode Island does not currently have adequate resources to offer Post |
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Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) screening, referrals, and |
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treatment to all veterans upon return from deployment; and |
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WHEREAS, Rhode Island has had tremendous success with a pilot program veterans’ |
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court in directing veterans who are diagnosed with trauma related disorders into a court program |
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that integrates support and treatment plans with the judicial process; and |
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WHEREAS, Our Federal delegation continually supports the needs and efforts to expand |
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resources for Rhode Island veterans; now therefore be it |
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RESOLVED, That this Senate respectfully requests the Congress of the United States to |
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pass legislation to establish funding for individual states, including Rhode Island, to implement a |
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home and community based veterans’ program; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
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respectfully urges the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation to support state funding |
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opportunities to implement recommendations from the President’s Joining Forces Initiative to |
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strengthen behavioral healthcare systems and supportive services for returning service members, |
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veterans, and their families; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That this Senate respectfully requests the Congress of the United States to |
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authorize the funding of the SERVE ACT through the Office of National Drug Control Policy to |
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develop and implement a veterans’ treatment court; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and is hereby authorized and directed to |
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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Jack Reed and Honorable |
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Sheldon Whitehouse, US Senators, and the Honorable James R. Langevin and Honorable David |
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N. Cicilline, US Representatives. |
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LC01884 | |
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