Bill 119 HR 136, also known as the "Veterans Suicide Prevention Act," aims to address the issue of veteran suicides by directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an independent review of the deaths of certain veterans by suicide. The bill seeks to identify any patterns or common factors among these tragic incidents in order to better understand and prevent future suicides among veterans.
The independent review mandated by the bill will focus on veterans who have died by suicide within the past five years, with a particular emphasis on those who were recently discharged from military service. The goal of the review is to determine if there were any missed opportunities for intervention or support that could have potentially prevented these deaths.
In addition to the independent review, the bill also includes provisions for improving mental health services and suicide prevention efforts within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This includes expanding access to mental health care for veterans, increasing training for VA staff on suicide prevention, and enhancing coordination with community organizations to provide support for at-risk veterans.
Overall, Bill 119 HR 136 seeks to address the pressing issue of veteran suicides by conducting a thorough review of past incidents, implementing measures to improve mental health services, and ultimately preventing future tragedies among our nation's veterans.