HB 948 Missouri House · 2025 Regular Session

Creates provisions relating to wellness checks for at-risk veterans

HB 948, the "Veterans Well-Being and Resource Outreach Act," requires the veterans commission and mental health department to create a program providing twice-monthly wellness checks for veterans at risk of isolation, homelessness, or mental health challenges. The program identifies at-risk veterans and assigns trained veterans or staff to conduct real-time check-ins - via in-person, phone, or digital means - to assess and address their medical, mental health, housing, and job-related needs. It directly affects vulnerable veterans in need of support, with implementation governed by joint rules from the commission and department. The bill mandates concrete service delivery (bi-monthly check-ins) without specifying funding or outcome guarantees.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action May 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced House Committee Substitute · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to shift responsibility for the veterans wellness check program from the veterans commission and department of mental health to local veterans' organizations and support organizations. The department of mental health now develops the initiative while local organizations implement the wellness checks, and rulemaking authority was transferred from the veterans commission to the department of mental health.
Scope change
The program's implementation scope changed from a state-led initiative by the veterans commission to a decentralized model where local veterans' organizations and support organizations establish and run wellness check programs.
SCOPE

Responsibility for establishing the wellness check program was transferred from the veterans commission to local veterans' organizations and veterans' support organizations.

ENFORCEMENT

Rulemaking authority was changed from a joint responsibility between the veterans commission and department of mental health to solely the department of mental health.

REQUIREMENT

New requirement added that wellness check programs must use noninvasive methods to make initial contact with potentially at-risk veterans.

TECHNICAL

Bill numbering and header information were updated to reflect the House Committee Substitute version.

Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
10
Key actions
2
Committee
4
May 13, 2025
Committee
Referred: Rules - Legislative(H)
lower
Apr 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
HCS Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 18 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0
lower
Apr 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
HCS Voted Do Pass (H)
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Committee
Referred: Veterans and Armed Forces(H)
lower
Jan 16, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and Read First Time (H)
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors