148 veterans died by suicide in Missouri last year.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said the suicide rate of veterans in the state is significantly higher than the national average -- and the highest in the country.
KMOX's Michael Calhoun reported that the Missouri House recently created an interim committee on veterans mental health and suicide.
State Representative Dave Griffith served as a Green Beret in the Army Special Forces Group, and is the chair of the committee.
"I think the interim is a is a good way to be able to spend more time, to spend three hours or four hours in a hearing, where we can really get into the weeds," Griffith said. "And try to find some tangible things that can be done not just on that legislative arena, but but really at the grassroots level."
Griffith said that in addition to looking at veterans' mental health, he wants to look at the issue of suicide in the state in general.
"We have that right here in Jefferson City. Not long ago, about three months ago, we had a13-year-old boy from down in southern Cole County that committed suicide because a girl was bullying him," Griffith said. "And anytime you read in the obituaries, and you see somebody that's 19 years old, or 18 years old, or 22 years old, and there's nothing in the obituary that alludes to any kind of underlying health conditions, but one of the things for me that pops up is suicide."
The committee has eight members and has its first meeting on July 27th in Jefferson City. Two people who are set to testify are the brother and spouse of a veteran who died by suicide.
