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Senator Blunt Applauds Passage Of Bipartisan Bill To Improve Mental Health Treatment For America’s Heroes |
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WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) applauded the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act today, bipartisan legislation that he co-sponsored to help America’s veterans and servicemembers. The bill, which is headed to the president’s desk, will improve the way the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) provide mental health and suicide prevention resources to American servicemen and women and veterans. The bill unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives on January 12, 2015. “Approximately 22 veterans commit suicide every day – an unacceptable fact plaguing our nation’s brave heroes. We owe these men and women the very best treatment available, and this legislation takes an important step forward in achieving that goal,” said Blunt. “I’m proud to have co-sponsored this bipartisan bill, which will help address mental health treatment and the unacceptable rate of suicide among veterans and service members.” On January 13, 2015, Blunt joined U.S. Senators John McCain (Ariz.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Joe Manchin (W.V.) to reintroduce the legislation, which was originally introduced in November 2014. Background Information: · The SAV Act would require a third-party evaluation of existing suicide prevention programs at the VA and DoD to gauge their effectiveness and make recommendations for consolidation, elimination or improvement. It would also provide for a new website that offers veterans information regarding available mental health care services; create a pilot loan repayment program for VA psychiatrists; improve the exchange of training, best practices, and other resources among the VA and non-profit mental health organizations to enhance collaboration of suicide prevention efforts; create a community outreach pilot program to help veterans transition from active duty service; and extend the ability for certain combat veterans to enroll in the Veterans Health Administration for one year. · The legislation is named for Clay Hunt, a Marine veteran who committed suicide in March 2011 at the age of 28. Hunt enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 2005 and deployed to Anbar Province, near Fallujah, in January 2007. He was shot in the wrist by a sniper’s bullet that barely missed his head, earning him a Purple Heart. Hunt recuperated at Twenty Nine Palms, Calif. and then graduated from Marine Corps Scout Sniper School in March 2008. He redeployed to southern Afghanistan a few weeks later. His unit returned in late October of 2008 and he was honorably discharged from the Marines in April 2009. After returning home, Hunt suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress for many years and struggled with inadequate care at his local VA hospital before taking his own life. # # # This release was sent by the office of U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), and therefore paid for by taxpayer dollars. |
