HB2135 Summary

• Requires the Arizona Department of Health Services to annually compile and report on veteran suicides beginning January 1, 2020, including numbers, rates, and five-year trend data.

• Report must include analysis of suicide mechanisms, years of potential life lost, demographic breakdowns by race/ethnicity, age, gender, and region, plus comparisons to national suicide rates.

• Requires analysis of drug patterns used in suicides, medical history patterns of veteran suicides using VA and Arizona health care data, and utilization data from nonprofit veteran services organizations addressing military and veteran suicide prevention.

• Mandates geographic distribution analysis of suicide patterns considering population density to inform statewide suicide prevention service distribution.

• Report data must remain confidential and not contain personally identifying information; findings distributed to House Speaker, Senate President, Department of Veterans' Services, and Secretary of State.