A state House panel unanimously approved a bill Monday that provides $300,000 dollars annually to the Arizona Department of Veteran Services to distribute as grants to emergency shelters.
Nathan Smith is director of Central Arizona Shelter Services. He spoke in favor of the bill, saying CASS doesn’t have the proper resources to adequately help veterans.
"These are people who have given life and limb to serve our country, and I cannot stand seeing them languish in our shelters and us as providers not have the resources to quickly and meaningfully engage them," Smith said.
The committee also approved another bill creating a grant program to help veterans in the criminal justice system get treatment for conditions such as PTSD.
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