Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) and her colleagues attended the White House signing ceremony for the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, which passed the Senate and House with overwhelming bipartisan support.
“Every day, an estimated 22 veterans take their own lives,” said Brownley. “The Clay Hunt SAV Act will improve VA mental health programs and help stop these preventable tragedies. As Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, improving access to high-quality mental health services is one of my highest priorities.”
The Clay Hunt Act will:
- Require annual third-party evaluations of VA’s mental health care and suicide prevention programs,
- Create a centralized website with resources and information for veterans about the range of mental health services available from the VA, and
- Require collaboration on suicide prevention efforts between VA and non-profit mental health organizations.
“This law will improve suicide prevention and mental health resources for veterans and their family members,” Brownley said. “We must do all that we can to ensure that our servicemembers and veterans receive quality mental health counseling to address PTSD, depression, and other associated health issues.”
Issues: 114th Congress, Veterans' Affairs