Expresses support for federal "Building Resources and Access for Veteran's Mental Health Engagement Act of 2025."
Summary
Assembly Resolution 136 is a New Jersey resolution expressing support for the federal “Building Resources and Access for Veterans’ Mental Health Engagement Act of 2025” (the BRAVE Act). The resolution states that military service can contribute to mental health challenges such as PTSD, depression, suicidal ideation, substance use disorder, and anxiety, and it cites data on veterans receiving VA care and on New Jersey’s veteran population and suicide rate. It urges Congress to pass the federal bill and the President to sign it.
The resolution describes the BRAVE Act as a measure that would further address mental health services and care provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. According to the resolution, the federal bill would touch on VA personnel, Vet Center administration, women veterans, and access to care, and would extend the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program for community-based, non-clinical suicide prevention services for veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. AR136 itself does not create new state programs or benefits; it is a formal expression of support and a request that copies be sent to federal leaders and the VA.
Impact
AR136 does not amend New Jersey statutes or appropriate state funds. Its legal effect is limited to a legislative expression of support for federal legislation and a directive to transmit the resolution to congressional leaders, New Jersey’s congressional delegation, and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The practical impact is symbolic and advocacy-oriented, signaling New Jersey’s backing for expanded veterans’ mental health services and suicide prevention efforts at the federal level.
Sentiment
The resolution is strongly supportive and sympathetic toward veterans’ mental health needs. Its findings frame the issue as a serious public health and moral responsibility, emphasizing the burdens of military service, the prevalence of mental health diagnoses among veterans, and New Jersey’s veteran suicide rate. No opposing views, committee debate, or recorded votes are provided, so the available record suggests consensus or at least no documented controversy in the materials supplied.
Contention
No formal contention is documented in the provided context, and there are no committee transcripts or votes to indicate opposition. The only potentially debatable aspects are the resolution’s reliance on federal action rather than state-level remedies and its endorsement of a specific federal bill, including the extension of a grant program and provisions affecting VA administration, women veterans, and access to care. Any disagreement would likely center on the scope, funding, or policy design of the federal BRAVE Act rather than on the New Jersey resolution itself.