Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) today applauded the Senate’s final passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, legislation that would improve mental health care and suicide prevention resources for American service members. The bill now awaits the President’s signature before becoming law.
“I am proud that the Senate voted today to enhance the care we provide our men and women in uniform who continue to battle the lasting wounds of war,” said Senator McCain. “According to a study published this month in the Annals of Epidemiology, the rate of suicide among veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is approximately 50 percent higher than the rate among the general public, and a shocking 22 military veterans commit suicide each day. Our nation has much work still to do to fulfill its responsibilities for our veterans, and this bill is an important step in improving life-saving mental health care services for the men and women who have served and sacrificed.”
“This breakthrough bipartisan step will help countless veterans overcome invisible wounds of war that lead to 22 tragic suicides every day,” said Senator Blumenthal. “We owe these wounded warriors more effective mental health care, so they can win the war against inner demons that come home from service. This bill will help save lives – courageous, strong veterans who need and deserve enhanced psychiatric care, counseling, outreach support and accountability from the Veterans Administration. A friend of mine, Justin Eldridge of southeastern Connecticut, braved mortar fire and snipers in Afghanistan, returning to his young family with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. Tragically, he slipped through the cracks at his local VA facility and eventually took his own life. As brave as he was on the battlefield, he could not win his war at home. We have an obligation to keep faith with our veterans, and this legislation – providing an impartial review of VA mental health programs, more centralized information and outreach, more support for VA psychiatrists – constitutes an important step.”
“The suicide rate among veterans is tragically high and the programs and resources available to veterans are overdue for modernization,” said Senator Burr. “Today, the Senate took action to rectify this troubling trend. We must do a better job on behalf of the military men and women who serve to protect our liberties. I am proud that the Senate overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. This legislation is big step in the right direction to fulfill our nation's promise to its veterans.”
“I am pleased the full Senate acted quickly following VA Committee passage on this urgent legislation,” said Senator Isakson, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “When you have 8,000 veterans a year committing suicide – which is more veterans than have died in all of Iraq and all of Afghanistan since we’ve been fighting – then you have a serious problem. This legislation is an important step toward providing better access to mental health resources for our veterans.”
“Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) also praised the Senate’s passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act: “This is a tremendous day for our community,” said IAVA CEO and Founder Paul Rieckhoff. “For too long the crisis of veteran suicide has been hidden in the shadows. This bill gives many veterans the new hope they so desperately need and demonstrates that our leaders are willing to give veterans the care they deserve. We call on President Obama to demonstrate his commitment to our veterans with a public signing ceremony. We thank Senator McCain and Senator Blumenthal for their leadership in combating suicide and for reintroducing this vital bill. While we are thrilled about today’s vote, all of us must remember the sobering reality that necessitated this action: the invisible wounds of war and our nation’s initial failure to treat them.”
The bill would require a third-party evaluation of existing suicide prevention programs at the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 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 was named for Clay Hunt, a Marine veteran who committed suicide in March 2011 at the age of 28. Clay 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. Clay recuperated at Twenty Nine Palms, CA 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, Clay suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for many years and struggled with inadequate care at his local VA hospital before taking his own life.
“We are extremely grateful for the Senate passing this bill and all those who have worked so hard on it,” said Susan Selke, mother of Clay Hunt. “While it is a little bittersweet, because it is too late for our son Clay, we are thankful knowing that this bill will save many lives. No veteran should have to wait or go through bureaucratic red tape to get the mental health care they earned during their selfless service to our country. While this legislation is not a 100 percent solution, it is a huge step in the right direction.”
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