IMMEDIATE ADOPTION
Number
240816
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
220294, 231294
Sponsor
ALD. TAYLOR
Title
Resolution designating November as Veterans’ Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Month in Milwaukee.
Analysis
This resolution designates November, commencing November, 2024, as an annual Veterans’ Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Month to promote awareness of veterans’ mental health challenges and suicides risks. This resolution further urges the Department of Employee Relations and the Health Department to promote awareness of veterans’ mental health challenges and suicide risks among City employees and Milwaukee residents, respectively.
Body
Whereas, A veteran is “a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable”, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Verification Assistance Brief from October, 2019; and
Whereas, The RAND Corporation’s 2017 research finds that Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans since 2001 have greater risk of cognitive and mental health challenges than non-veterans, with up to 15% of veterans experiencing depression, up to 20% experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder, up to 23% having a traumatic brain injury, up to 39% having issues with alcohol dependence, 44% having difficulty adjusting to civilian life, 47% feeling sudden outbursts of anger, and 48% having strains in family life; and
Whereas, Wisconsin veterans’ suicide rate is 31.9 per 100,000, compared with a suicide rate of 18.8 per 100,000 among the state’s general population, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ 2021 Wisconsin Veterans Suicide Data Sheet; and
Whereas, The city of Milwaukee’s 16,708 veteran residents have higher unemployment and disability rates than the city’s non-veteran residents, as well as higher unemployment and poverty rates than veterans throughout Wisconsin, according to 2022 American Community S...
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