{"id":7588,"date":"2024-01-17T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-17T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7588"},"modified":"2024-01-17T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T16:00:00","slug":"va-provides-free-emergency-suicide-prevention-care-to-nearly-50000-veterans-and-former-service-members-in-first-year-of-new-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7588","title":{"rendered":"VA provides free emergency suicide prevention care to nearly 50,000 Veterans and former service members in first year of new policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2024-01-17T16:00:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

WASHINGTON<\/strong> \u2014 In the first year of VA\u2019s new policy<\/a> allowing eligible Veterans and certain former service members in acute suicidal crisis to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for no-cost emergency health care, 49,714 Veterans and former service members have used this benefit \u2014 providing them with lifesaving care and saving more than $64 million in health care costs.<\/p>\n

This policy has helped prevent Veteran suicide by guaranteeing no cost, world-class care to eligible individuals in times of crisis \u2014 including emergency room care, inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days, outpatient care for up to 90 days, and transportation costs. The policy has also increased access to no-cost emergent suicide care for up to 9 million Veterans, because eligible Veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system or go to a department facility to use this benefit.<\/p>\n

Ending Veteran suicide is\u00a0VA\u2019s top clinical priority<\/a>\u00a0and a key part of President Biden\u2019s\u00a0Unity Agenda<\/a>. Since 2021, VA has worked aggressively to expand support for Veterans in crisis, including launching the 988 (then press 1)<\/a>\u00a0to help Veterans connect more quickly with caring, qualified responders through the Veterans Crisis Line;\u00a0partnering with community-based suicide prevention organizations<\/a>\u00a0to provide Veterans with on-the-ground support; expanding\u00a0firearm suicide prevention efforts<\/a>; and encouraging Veterans to reach out for help through a\u00a0national Veteran suicide\u00a0prevention awareness campaign.<\/a>\u00a0Moving forward, VA and the\u00a0Biden-Harris Administration<\/a>\u00a0will continue to work urgently to end Veteran suicide through\u00a0a\u00a0public health approach\u00a0<\/a>that combines both community-based and clinically based strategies to save lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is nothing more important to VA than preventing Veteran suicide \u2014 and this expansion of no-cost care has likely saved thousands of lives this year,\u201d said VA Secretary Denis McDonough.<\/strong> \u201cWe want all Veterans to know they can get the care they need, when they need it, no matter where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Any Veteran \u2013 enrolled in VA or not \u2013 can go to a VA or non-VA emergency room for no cost emergent suicidal care under this policy. Additionally, this benefit covers certain individuals who do not meet the requirements to be considered a Veteran, including those who were released from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable. It also covers service members \u2014 including reservists and national guard members \u2014 who served at least 100 days on active duty under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation either directly or by operating an unmanned aerial vehicle from another location. Veterans who experienced military sexual trauma are also covered.<\/p>\n

This benefit was created by the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment (COMPACT) Act of 2020. Under this policy, eligible individuals receive:<\/p>\n