HOUSE BILL NO. 2673 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON.
5739H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To amend chapter 42, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to wellness checks for at-risk veterans.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 42, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be 2 known as section 42.024, to read as follows: 42.024. 1. The provisions of this section shall be known and may be cited as the 2 "Veterans Well-Being and Resource Outreach Act". 3 2. The department of mental health shall develop and implement an initiative to 4 encourage local veterans' organizations and veterans' support organizations to establish 5 programs that provide wellness checks for at-risk veterans described in this section. 6 3. A local veterans' organization or veterans' support organization that elects to 7 establish a wellness-check program under this section shall identify veterans at risk of 8 experiencing isolation, homelessness, or mental health issues and invite them to 9 participate in the program. The program shall use noninvasive methods to make initial 10 contact with potentially at-risk veterans. 11 4. The program shall provide a wellness check twice each month on each veteran 12 participating in the program. 13 5. Each wellness check shall be conducted by a veteran or by a person who has 14 received training on the medical, mental health, housing, and vocational needs of 15 veterans. 16 6. The person who conducts the wellness check shall communicate in real time 17 with the veteran participant, either in person or by telephonic or electronic means, in
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 2673 2
18 order to assess and address the medical, mental health, housing, and vocational needs of 19 the veteran participant. 20 7. The department of mental health shall promulgate rules to implement the 21 provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 22 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become 23 effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, 24 if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any 25 of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to 26 delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held 27 unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or 28 adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void. ✔
Statutes affected: