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Assemblymember Janet Nguyen is proud to announce that Assembly Bill 738 has been signed by the Governor. AB 738 ensures that veterans will have a seat at the table and are part of the conversation on mental health and wellness.
“We owe it to those who we’ve asked to serve and sacrifice for our country, the mental health services and resources they are entitled to” said Assemblymember Janet Nguyen. “It is important for everyone, especially our veterans, to have access to mental health resources and have input on what services their community needs.”
AB 738 would require counties to appoint a veteran or veteran’s advocate to a local public mental health board and notify a county’s veteran’s service officer regarding any vacancies. Currently, there is no statute or regulation requiring a specifically appointed or reserved seat for veterans on a county’s local public mental health board.
In both the Senate and the Assembly, Assemblymember Nguyen has prioritized the issues of veterans and mental health. “I’m very proud to have authored legislation that will help our heroes heal” said Assemblymember Janet Nguyen. “Wounds inflicted on the battlefield are not always physical and sometimes they take longer to heal” AB 738 received bi-partisan support throughout the Legislative process and was supported by numerous veterans’ organizations.
Prior to her time in the Legislature, Assemblymember Nguyen leaned upon her experience as a member of a military family and advocated for mental health issues during her time as a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
“Many of my relatives and friends, who proudly and honorably served in the military, sometimes they returned changed” said Assemblymember Janet Nguyen “From my own experience, I’ve believe that we must listen to our veterans and their families in order to better serve them as a small gratitude for their heroic service.”
