WC Wisconsin News

Today, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced a legislative effort aimed at bolstering mental health support and suicide prevention for veterans. Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), along with Reps. Greg Landsman (D-OH), Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA), announced the reintroduction of the What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act.

The proposed legislation seeks to enhance the effectiveness of suicide prevention initiatives through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by requiring the establishment and implementation of best practices for suicide prevention pilots and grant programs. The VA Secretary would be tasked with setting clear objectives for these programs and evaluating their effectiveness in achieving set goals.

Rep. Van Orden emphasized the need for this legislation, stating, "I have lost many friends and teammates to suicide, and until we are using every available resource to prevent it, we are simply not doing enough." He added that the bill directs the VA towards effective programs, reiterating that the loss of any veteran is too much.

Rep. Landsman supported this stance, saying, "We are reintroducing this bill because it will save countless lives. Too many veterans are dying by suicide every day, and we have to do more to prevent it."

Rep. Luttrell expressed personal commitment due to his military background, declaring, "Veteran suicide is a crisis we cannot afford to ignore. We need to know which programs are actually saving lives."

Rep. Deluzio also shared his perspective, noting, "We have got to use all of the tested and effective tactics available to take on the suicide crisis facing America’s veterans."

The bill is backed by national organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and Save A Warrior.

To access the full bill, click here.