Cincinnati, OH – Today, Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01), Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX-08), Congressman Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03), and Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen suicide prevention and mental health support for veterans.
Suicide prevention is currently the most urgent issue facing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). To address this, Congressman Landsman, as a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has partnered with Congressmen Luttrell, Van Orden, and Deluzio to introduce H.R.9924 – the What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act – bipartisan legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to draft and implement best practices for suicide prevention pilots and grant programs that would allow for more effective data collection.
The What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act wouldrequire the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish clear and measurable objectives for suicide prevention pilot and grant programs carried out through the Veterans Health Administration. This would improve data collection, transparency, and create a clear plan to evaluate program success, ensuring resources go to the most effective initiatives for preventing veteran suicide. The VA would share program results and best practices with stakeholders, then implement those best practices.
The What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act has been endorsed by the national Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
Congressman Landsman:
“This bill will save countless lives. Too many veterans are dying by suicide every day, and we have to do more to prevent it. Many veterans are dealing with severe mental health issues and deserve the best care possible. If we focus the VA’s resources on the most effective programs, we can make a significant impact in reducing these heartbreaking and entirely unacceptable rates of veteran suicide.”
Edward Reese, DAV Washington Headquarters Executive Director:
“Reducing and eliminating veteran suicide is as complex as it is essential, and the VA must have the best, most up-to-date information available. The What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act would establish objectives, properly evaluate VA suicide prevention programs and organize comprehensive data to make better, lifesaving decisions. DAV is proud to support this crucial legislation, and we thank Congressman Landsman for his leadership.”
Meggan Coleman, Veterans of Foreign Wars National Legislative Associate Director:
“The VFW supports the What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act to establish standard practices for a grant or pilot program administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs through the Veterans Health Administration. The VFW understands that clear and measurable objectives are essential in collecting data that would propel the efforts and initiatives of suicide prevention to be as effective as possible. It is vital to be good stewards of all the funds that are allocated for the reduction and end of suicide in the veteran community. We thank Congressman Landsman for introducing this bill and look forward to it becoming law.”
Congressman Luttrell:
“Veteran suicide is a crisis we cannot afford to overlook, especially as the numbers continue to climb. As someone who served alongside many of these brave men and women, I am committed to ensuring we bring this number down and eventually to zero. This bill will help us understand which programs are truly working, so we can maximize on those efforts and save lives.”
Congressman Van Orden:
“We are still losing record numbers of our veterans everyday to suicide. Until we do everything we can to prevent veteran suicide, we are not doing enough. I am proud to stand with Rep. Landsman in introducing this bipartisan legislation to ensure VA is directing their efforts to the most effective suicide prevention treatments and programs. Our vets had our backs in when they were in uniform. We must do everything we can to have theirs now.”
Congressman Deluzio:
“The crisis of veteran suicide demands all of our best efforts, and that means using proven and effective tactics and tools to save lives. I’m glad to partner with Congressman Landsman to create more guidelines for suicide prevention pilots and outreach through the VA. I will never stop fighting to protect and serve my fellow veterans.”
The full text of the What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act can be found here.
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