ENHANCING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ACCESS FOR VETERANS: A POLICY PROPOSAL FOR A STATEWIDE PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM

Veterans face higher rates of behavioral health disorders and suicide than the general population, often stemming from combat exposure, separation from family, and experiences of trauma. Untreated conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance use disorder can lead to unemployment, homelessness, and family instability. Many veterans now rely on community-based care due to limited access to VA services, but provider shortages hinder treatment. To address this, our team recommends a statewide Veteran Peer Support Specialist program to expand access to behavioral healthcare. The policy would enhance North Carolina’s Certified Peer Support Specialist Program to better support and train veterans as peer specialists. Similar efforts in other conservative states have seen bipartisan success. While some grant support is expected, we estimate $15 million in state funding will be needed over the program’s first three years.