Senate introduces bill re mental health access and suicide prevention

[nitpicker]

http://www.navytimes.com/story/veterans/2014/11/18/congress-pentagon-veterans-affairs-suicide-initiatives/19220877/

DoD, VA suicide prevention efforts on Capitol Hill
By Patricia Kime, Staff writer 1:39 p.m. EST November 18, 2014

A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Monday designed to improve access to mental health services for troops and veterans and strengthen the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments' suicide prevention efforts.

The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention bill would require the Pentagon and VA to submit to an independent review of their suicide prevention programs.

It also would establish a website to provide consolidated information on mental health services available to veterans and seeks to improve VA's recruitment efforts for quality psychiatrists by establishing a student loan reimbursement program for doctors who sign on to work for VA for a number of years.
(snip)

Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Richard Burr, R-N.C.; Roy Blunt, R-Mo.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Ark.; and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., co-sponsored the bill to provide "additional resources for veterans who suffer from mental health disorders that place them on higher risk of suicide," according to a release.

"Our nation has a long way to go to decrease the rate of suicide among our veterans and we must do much better in fulfilling our responsibilities to care for those who have risked everything on behalf of their fellow Americans," the senators wrote.
(snip)

[pinboy3niner]

1. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) helped craft the bill and urges passage

From IAVA's press release Monday:

In July, House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) and Reps. Tim Waltz (D-Minn.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the House version of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention For American Veterans Act (H.R. 5059). Susan Selke, the mother of Clay Hunt, a Marine veteran who died by suicide, was present at the bill introduction.

Susan Selke will be testifying Wednesday morning at the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) hearing on Mental Health and Suicide Among Veterans at 10 a.m. in Russell Senate Office Building SR-418.

“No family member or friend should have to experience losing another veteran or servicemember to suicide,” said Susan Selke. “Had this legislation been enacted earlier, Clay might not have fallen through the cracks. Our son could not get the help he so desperately needed and, like so many veterans, Clay was plagued with fighting through VA’s bureaucratic red tape. This bill gets us one step closer to reversing the suicide trend among veterans and changing the status quo. I urge the Senate to move quickly and pass this bill. Swift action is critical, as 22 or more veterans die by suicide every single day.”

IAVA urges supporters to visit iava.org and click take action to sign the petition to support the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention bill. To date, more than 43,000 people have signed the petition.

http://iava.org/press-release/mccain-blumenthal-burr-blunt-murkowski-and-manchin-introduce-clay-hunt-suicide-prevention-bill-of-2014/

[Victor_c3]

2. I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking this

The best and most sure way to reduce veteran suicides is to stop starting BS wars.

I can't say for sure, but I'm pretty sure my conscious would be easier on me if I could say that the war I fought in (Iraq, 2004) actually made the world a better place and was actually about defending our nation rather than a military adventure to kill as many Arabs as we could. Instead of being able to tell myself "I did some pretty shitty things in the war, but at least the world is better place because of it" I'm stuck having to tell myself "I did some pretty shitty things in war and the world is worse off because of it". That sort of thing definitely leaves a mark on one's psyche.

[pinboy3niner]

3. Important veteran suicide bill poised to pass

Rachel Maddow 11/21/14

Important veteran suicide bill poised to pass

Rachel Maddow reports on the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, a little noticed, genuinely bipartisan bill named for a heroic veteran who took his own life, and designed to address the challenges of treating returning war veterans.

VIDEO:
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/important-veteran-suicide-bill-poised-to-pass-362050627724

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Long past time! Thanks for posting!