At a hearing on Wednesday dealing with mental health and veteran suicide prevention, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) pledged to continue his support of the VA and community groups to reduce suicide in the veteran community. Suicide rates are rising across the U.S. but military rates are roughly doubly higher than that of non-veterans.
An exhaustive report from the VA’s mental health office in 2016 showed an unadjusted rate of 30 per 100,000 for veterans, compared to a rate for non-veterans of 16 per 100,000. The hearing featured VA Secretary Robert Wilkie and VA Suicide Prevention Program Executive Director Dr. Keita Franklin. Isakson questioned the two on their efforts related to the suicide prevention program and what the senate could do to keep momentum moving forward.
“Suicide is a terrible thing,” said Isakson. “I’ve experienced it in my own family, and it’s a terrible thing to go through for a family. It’s something you want to block out and not talk about. But the most important thing you can do is talk about it.”
The VA started a crisis line in 2010, consisting of three call centers across the U.S., one of which is in Atlanta. The centers are operated 24 hours a day, every day, and offer crisis intervention services for veterans. Wilkie noted the centers answer approximately 1,700 calls a day, with an average wait time of only eight seconds, and the VA is able to provide same-day access to care as a result of the crisis lines.
“When I went out to the new [call center] that was established in Atlanta, I was astounded at how many calls came in and how rapid they were coming in,” said Isakson. “I assume that’s only gotten better, and from everything I read about suicide and accessibility in [terms of] mental health issues, the quicker a person who is in trouble or is at risk can make a direct contact with a trained, professional individual, that’s the best thing you can do to get somebody stabilized and not have the act of suicide take place before they get some help.”
Despite all their efforts, the VA is still not able to provide all the resources that veterans in crisis may need. Veteran-focused community groups provide services like employment support, housing assistance, education, social connection and family counseling. These are among the most critical issues when dealing with a veteran’s mental health. Through partnerships with the VA, these organizations provide critical coordination for veterans in need.
“We understand that victories are not going to be fast or swift when you’re dealing with something like suicide,” he continued. “The better we do with making services accessible and ensuring our providers are equipped with proper training, the better it will be for our veterans. Over time, as we continue to address this subject, we will reduce the rate of suicide.”
To read much more about the situation in the VA, see here: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/data.asp
