WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Fourth District Congressman Bill Huizenga and California Congressman Lou Correa have sponsored a bipartisan bill to lower veteran suicide rates.
Huizenga said on West Michigan's Morning News the Veterans Suicide Prevention & Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 9449) would increase the number of Community Care Network providers who complete the suicide prevention training that is administered by the V-A.
"What we're wanting to do is encourage those local care networks to adopt that program, and use that program specifically with veterans. And we know that it will help save lives," Huizenga said.
The legislation would create a publicly available Preferred Provider List increasing transparency while allowing veterans to choose a provider that best meets their needs.
According to the VA’s 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, more than 17 veterans per day take their own lives. The latest data from the VA also shows the suicide rate among veterans increased by 11.6 percent from 2020 to 2021.
“When our soldiers come home at the end of their service, it doesn’t mean they have left the battlefield," Huizenga said. “The Veterans Suicide Prevention & Care Enhancement Act will help ensure the men and women who served our nation have better access to high-quality mental health care resources. This bipartisan bill will improve outcomes, strengthen the veteran community, and save lives by ensuring more providers in Community Care Networks are using evidence-based training to reduce the number of veteran suicides.”
“Our veterans served our nation selflessly. Those men and women deserve access to the highest-quality mental health care available—and we have a duty to deliver it,” Congressman Lou Correa said. “When these heroes return home, they often wield invisible wounds that can put them at increased risk of veteran suicide. These men and women deserve health care providers that have the best training possible for suicide prevention, and this legislation will make that a reality for millions of veterans across this great nation.”
According to a news release from Huizenga's office, the latest report found those receiving care directly through the Veterans Health Administration had lower suicide rates than those receiving care only through the Community Care Network in both 2020 and 2021.
Huizenga said the Veterans Suicide Prevention & Care Enhancement Act is currently supported by: Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Association of VA Psychologist Leaders (AVAPL), and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA).
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