Michigan House Committee on Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security Hears Testimony on Veteran Mental Health

LANSING, Mich., May 24, 2023 — The Michigan House Committee on Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security heard testimony yesterday on the state of veterans’ mental health care in Michigan. It was the second part of a two-part series of hearings on veterans’ mental health. 

“Surviving with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the other psychological ramifications of combat is every bit as heroic as feats of valor on the battlefield,” said state Rep. Jennifer Conlin (D-Ann Arbor Township), chair of the committee. “We need to do everything we can in the Legislature to ensure that Michigan veterans have the support they need and deserve after serving our country.”

Testimony focused on the role of traditional clinical therapy in addressing veterans’ mental health, the burgeoning area of psychedelic medicine, and what services both the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services currently offer to veterans.

“Veterans face significant mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, PTSD and combat-related guilt,” said state Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield), Psy. D., MSW, who testified in the committee and is also a practicing clinical therapist. “We need to keep working to ensure not only that we’re offering the level and kinds of care that veterans need the most but also making sure that they know all the resources that are available to them. We know that trauma doesn’t just affect the mind but also manifests in the body — it is important to continue to support our veterans as best we can with the most up-to-date resources.”