The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced that it awarded $52.5 million to community organizations as part of its efforts to combat suicide among veterans. This is part of an ongoing initiative to help veterans struggling with depression, PTSD, and other psychological issues, helping them to seek treatment for suicidal ideation. It also helps provide resources for veterans struggling to obtain mental health care, streamlining the process to get veterans the treatment they need.
What is This Initiative?
The grant announced is part of this year’s Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. It awarded $52.5 million to 85 organizations across 41 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico. This money helps these organizations provide emergency care for veterans suffering from thoughts of suicide, and helps them to conduct outreach to locate veterans who may have fallen through the cracks.
What is The Purpose of This Grant?
The money given out for this grant is part of the VA’s ongoing efforts to combat suicide among veterans. Unfortunately, veterans are at a substantially higher risk of committing suicide than the rest of the population, and often they do not get the care they need until it is too late. This funding is intended to help alleviate the problem by ensuring that community organizations in a position to help will have the resources they need to address the problem.
Why Are Veterans at High Risk of Suicide?
Veterans suffer a higher rate of suicide compared to the average citizen due to several factors. First, they are at a higher risk of certain types of mental illness, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can cause suicidal ideation. In addition, veterans often struggle to reach out for care when they need it, leaving their problems untreated until they become a crisis.
What Should You Do?
If you are a veteran and you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, you may be able to seek help through the VA or community programs funded by the VA. You may also be eligible for disability benefits to help you obtain treatment for your psychological issues. However, to obtain disability benefits, you should speak to a lawyer with experience handling VA disability applications, who can give you the best chance possible at success.
The attorneys of Sullivan & Kehoe place a special focus on assisting disabled veterans. Our veterans’ disability lawyers are still available for remote consultation on your legal issues. Call our office at (800) 395-7830 to schedule a consultation in our New York City, Garden City, Kings Park, Riverhead, or White Plains office, or visit our contact page.
