AMES advocates for veterans in front of senate committee

KENNESAW, Ga. | Dec 9, 2024

A state senate committee tasked with examining Georgia veterans鈥� access to mental health and housing resources recently submitted its recommendations based on testimonies provided by theCenter for the Advancement of Military and Emergency Services (AMES) Research at 石榴直播.

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AMES Director Brian Moore and Social Demographer Chris Hess presented the Senate Veterans鈥� Mental Health and Housing Committee with an overview of the center, in addition to specific issues relating to veteran care, including suicide, loneliness, and housing and food security.

"Georgia has one of the country's fastest growing and most diverse military populations," Moore said. "The AMES Center works at multiple levels to ensure we understand the full scope of veterans' health and wellness concerns statewide. We are proud to have been involved in this initiative and to assist in shaping the future of care, research, and veteran health initiatives across the state."

Moore shared the findings from an assessment of 5,500 veterans across 134 counties, resulting from an AMES partnership with the Georgia Department of Veteran Services (GDVS). The findings showed Georgia veterans experience suicidal ideation and lack health insurance at twice the national average. Additionally, one in three veterans reported they have nobody to call for help in an emergency, while food insecurity impacts more than 10 percent veterans.

Moore urged policymakers to consider proactive solutions, indicating that consistent health insurance and support can reduce long-term healthcare costs and improve outcomes. He also recommended expanding GDVS funding to centralize the state鈥檚 veteran resources and improve collaboration with other state agencies.

Hess highlighted demographic disparities within the homeless veteran population, noting that Black veterans represented one-third of Georgia鈥檚 veteran population yet two-thirds of homeless veterans. Senior veterans are also disproportionally affected, with 25 percent spending more than half their income on rent and utilities. In general, 40 percent of Georgia veteran renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities, while 20 percent spend more than half their income.

To address veteran homelessness, Hess suggested increasing capacity at Georgia War Veterans Homes 鈥� skilled nursing care homes for eligible war veterans located in Augusta and Milledgeville 鈥� and leveraging rural metal health initiatives to improve data collection and housing outreach.

The Senate Veterans鈥� Mental Health and Housing Committee is chaired by state Sen. Chuck Payne (District 54) and includes state Sen. Shawn Still (District 48), state Sen. Ed Harbison (District 15), state Sen. Rick Williams (District 25), state Sen. Josh McLaurin (District 14).

The committee released its findings and recommendations following its fifth meeting on November 20, 2024.

AMES, which partners with four state and 40 municipal agencies in Georgia to address veteran health issues, conducts multidisciplinary research to enhance the health and well-being of military, and emergency services personnel, their families, and communities.

AMES strives to be a national model of excellence in research developing innovative, comprehensive solutions for the military, and emergency services communities' health, wellbeing, and performance.

鈥� Story by David Roberts

Findings and Recommendations

  1. Support state and private organizations that assist veterans procure new duty assignments (i.e., new jobs and/or careers) upon their return home to Georgia.
  2. Establish a failsafe system between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Georgia Department of Veterans Service to directly engage every service member returning home to Georgia for the purpose of connecting them with relevant resources following their service and during their re-entry into civilian life.
  3. Establish a system for public service-oriented organizations and groups within the State (specific to each local community) that facilitates fast-track employment opportunities for veterans.
  4. Evaluate the utility of base transition programs in enhancing transition opportunities beyond Resume building.
  5. Establish a program to help increase health literacy among veterans to maximize the utilization of Tricare.
  6. Increase support of programs that give preference to veterans joining public safety organizations (similar to the federal Veterans鈥� Preference Act).
  7. Assist service members transitioning to civilian life with identifying housing within their budget.
  8. Prioritize and evaluate availability of childcare for dual working couples.
  9. Identify 鈥渧eteran friendly鈥� and/or 鈥渕ilitary spouse friendly鈥� employers and share their information with unit transition centers.
  10. Partner with GDVS to establish a membership fee waiver program for community service groups (such as rotary clubs, YMCAs, etc.) that integrate newly transitioned veterans.
  11. Establish an application fee waiver program for veterans and spouses applying to universities.
  12. Establish a state waiver for reduction or omittance of property taxes for a specified period of time for veterans.
  13. Increase GDVS鈥檚 presence on military bases in Georgia for the purpose of connecting service members with VA services.
  14. Support GDVS鈥檚 statewide data monitoring program that tracks veterans鈥� issues and evaluates transition plan implementations.
  15. Allocate up to $5 million to support innovative studies on the use of psychedelic therapies (such as MDMA, psilocybin, and other compounds) in treating PTS, TBI, and other mental health conditions affecting veterans.
  16. Amend state law to automatically align state drug scheduling statutes with federal scheduling statutes, to remove unnecessary obstacles to implementation, and to accelerate medical access for veterans.