by Jonathan Eberle | Apr 29, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona lawmakers have taken swift action to strengthen emergency mental health services for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Governor Katie Hobbs signed SB 1163 into law earlier this month, a measure designed to allow U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) peace officers to directly assist veterans in crisis.
The legislation, sponsored by Senate Military Affairs and Border Security Committee Chairman David Gowan (R-LD19), grants VA peace officers the authority to take veterans into custody if they have probable cause to believe the individual is a danger to themselves or others due to a mental health disorder. Police officers may also apply for written or telephonic emergency admission evaluations, a legal requirement before an individual can be hospitalized for psychiatric care.
“It’s our duty to support the veterans who have served our country, and one way we can do so is by immediately providing the best possible care when they face mental health challenges,” Gowan said in a statement. He emphasized that the new law would help prevent tragedies by allowing veterans to access emergency services more quickly, without delays caused by waiting for civilian emergency personnel or navigating complicated legal processes.
The bill was approved overwhelmingly by both the Arizona Senate and House of Representatives, reflecting bipartisan agreement on the need to improve veteran mental health care. Gowan also credited Cpl. Charles Stalter, a veterans advocate, for bringing the issue to lawmakers’ attention.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, PTSD affects between 11% and 20% of veterans who served in operations such as Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Mental health crises among veterans have been a growing concern nationally, with the VA reporting an average of 17 veteran suicides per day in 2021.
Under previous Arizona law, VA peace officers lacked the specific legal authority to initiate emergency mental health holds, even when faced with an obvious crisis. SB 1163 closes that gap, aligning Arizona with several other states that have empowered VA officers to take immediate action in mental health emergencies on VA property.
Supporters say the emergency designation for the bill — allowing it to take effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature — was necessary given the urgency of the mental health needs among the veteran population.
“This commonsense legislation ensures veterans won’t have to wait for help,” Gowan said. “It will save lives.”
The Arizona Department of Health Services and the Department of Veterans’ Services are expected to assist with implementation and coordination with VA facilities statewide.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 17, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
One Arizona legislator is seeking to help veterans in his state.
Last week, Arizona State Representative Justin Wilmeth announced that he had introduced HB 2871 “to allocate $10 million for clinical research on ibogaine.” According to a press release issued by the Arizona House of Representatives Republican Caucus, ibogaine is “a promising potential treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – conditions that have severely affected many veterans returning from combat.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the bill introduction, Wilmeth said, “Our military heroes put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, yet when they come home, too many are left suffering in silence. Traditional treatments have fallen short, and the reality is stark – veterans with TBI and PTSD are at an alarmingly high risk of suicide. Ibogaine treatment has shown incredible promise, and Arizona has an opportunity to take the lead in finding solutions that give these men and women real hope and real healing.”
Wilmeth added, “Veterans who sustained brain injuries in combat shouldn’t have to leave the country to access treatment that could change their lives. We owe it to our veterans to explore every option to help them have a full and healthy life. If this research can prove that ibogaine can truly heal the unseen wound of war, Arizona will be at the forefront of revolutionizing care for our warriors.”
The press release from the state lawmaker shared that “ibogaine, a plant-derived treatment with roots in West Africa, has drawn increasing attention for its potential to mitigate PTSD symptoms and neurological damage. Veterans, including Congressman Morgan Luttrell and retired SEAL Marcus Luttrell, have credited ibogaine with helping them recover from the physical and mental toll of combat. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry has also emerged as a vocal advocate, calling ibogaine treatment a ‘lifeline’ for veterans.”
If signed into law, HB 2871 would “direct the Arizona Department of Health Services to award grants to a research institution with proven expertise in neurological studies to conduct a certified clinical study on the use of ibogaine for treating TBI and PTSD.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | May 9, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates now claims to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which reportedly flared up recently after a Trump supporter came to do work on his home.
Gates revealed the diagnosis to the Washington Post in an article published over the weekend. After documenting at length Gates’ mental decline from 2020 onward, beginning with stress over the pushback against his decision to enact a mask mandate, the outlet concluded with Gates being triggered by the sight of a supporter of former President Donald Trump.
The offending individual was a worker wearing Trump’s trademark “Make America Great Again” red hat, who’d come over to fix a leaky pipe at Gates’ residence. Gates told the Washington Post that he’d felt “anger swelling in his chest,” and had to leave the room where the worker was to take some “deep breaths” to control his anger.
“It was a trigger to see that hat in my house,” stated Gates.
The Washington Post documented Gates ranting at the funeral last May for former Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel. Gates recounted how an unnamed “prominent” Republican shared that he found election denialism “all very boring,” to which Gates said he “saw red” and thought, “F**k you.”
Gates reportedly began “wildly waving his arms” while ranting, described as “out of control” and disruptive. According to those around him witnessing the behavior, Gates was on “the brink.”
The outburst reportedly caused his wife to confront him. Gates’ wife insisted that he go to therapy, and he said he did.
Gates described Election Day last year as a “war zone,” in reference to the flocks of officials and law enforcement at voting centers following the mass voting machine failures that may have disenfranchised thousands of voters.
Gates told the outlet that, despite feeling relief at giving up his chairmanship in January, he still struggled with the same negative feelings.
This was the second profile piece of Gates in as many months. The Atlantic profiled him in March, though Gates made no mention of his PTSD diagnosis at the time. Gates offered a slightly different version of himself: calmer, less stressed. The words peppered throughout this more recent profile piece — “anxiety,” “anger,” “stress,” “insecurity,” “resentment” — were absent from the one released just several months ago. In that piece, he expressed hopefulness throughout, even in response to uncertain situations he’d faced throughout COVID-19 and the last two elections. The article characterized him as a “leading defender” of elections.
When asked by the outlet whether he felt “threatened” by the demands of former Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward, Gates demurred, saying that “threat” was “too strong a word.”
“I felt pressure. I felt like if I didn’t do what she wanted to do, that there would be political ramifications, certainly,” said Gates.
Gates expressed belief that although he considered himself “politically dead,” he felt he could run for office again at some point beyond 2024.
Near the conclusion of his piece in The Atlantic, Gates said that he believed the current political climate is second only in severity to the Civil War.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
