What is a Green Alert?

MANY are familiar with the term Amber Alert, issued when a child abduction has occurred, but there are other terms like a green alert.

A Green Alert is not the same as an Amber Alert and does not have to do with a child at all.

The Green Alert Act was first introduced in 2019Getty Images – Getty

What is a Green Alert?

A Green Alert is typically issued when a veteran with a history of mental health issues goes missing.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five adults live with a mental illness.

In 2017 that number was 46.6million in the United States alone.

In 2018 more than 1.7million Veterans received treatment in a VA mental health specialty program, the US Department of Veteran Affairs reported.

When was the Green Alert Act introduced?

The Green Alert Act was first introduced in 2019 by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Joni Ernst (R-IA).

The bill is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, according to Hassan’s website.

Hassan and Ernst’s bill “would help states implement ‘Green Alert’ systems to locate veterans when they go missing so that they can receive appropriate care, similar to the AMBER Alert system for children or Silver Alert system for older Americans.”

On April 3, 2019, Hassan took to Twitter to inform her followers on the Green Alert Act.

“We must do more to support our veterans who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms. @SenJoniErnst and I joined @foxandfriends this morning to discuss our Green Alert Act to help states establish alert systems (like AMBER Alerts) to help find missing at-risk veterans.”

What are people saying about the Green Alert Act?

Some of Hassan’s followers responded to her tweet criticizing the lack of health care.

One user wrote: “Maybe if you made it easier to get healthcare there wouldn’t go missing.”

“Far too many of our brave veterans experience mental and emotional trauma as a result of their service, and as we work to build a country that is ever-worthy of their service, we must ensure that they have the support and resources they need to thrive in civilian life,” Senator Hassan said.

“The Green Alert Act would provide federal assistance to help states implement Green Alert systems to locate and assist missing veterans. This is a commonsense step we can take now to ensure that we can be there for our veterans who have so valiantly served to defend our freedoms.”