Washington
–
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
released
the
statement
below
following
Senate
passage
of
the
Clay
Hunt
Suicide
Prevention
for
American
Veterans
Act,
which
now
heads
to
the
White
House
to
be
signed
by
President
Obama.
“I
was
proud
to
join
my
Senate
colleagues
in
voting
for
today’s
important
legislation
to
help
improve
mental
health
services
for
our
nation’s
veterans.
We
must
support
those
who
defend
us,
and
the
Clay
Hunt
Suicide
Prevention
for
American
Veterans
Act
does
so
by
improving
programs
at
the
Veterans
Health
Administration,
aiding
veterans
in
their
transition
to
civilian
life,
and
increasing
access
to
health
care
for
our
veterans.
I
will
continue
working
to
ensure
we
keep
our
nation’s
promises
to
our
veterans,
and
look
forward
to
the
President
signing
this
important
legislation
into
law.”
The
legislation,
authored
by
Senators
John
McCain
(R-AZ),
Richard
Blumenthal
(D-CT),
Richard
Burr
(R-NC),
and
Johnny
Isakson
(R-GA),
would
require
a
third-party
evaluation
of
existing
suicide
prevention
programs
at
the
Department
of
Defense
and
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs
(VA)
to
gauge
their
effectiveness
and
make
recommendations
for
consolidation,
elimination,
or
improvement.
It
would
also
provide
for
a
new
website
that
offers
veterans
information
regarding
available
mental
health
care
services;
create
a
pilot
loan
repayment
program
for
VA
psychiatrists;
improve
the
exchange
of
training,
best
practices,
and
other
resources
among
the
VA
and
non-profit
mental
health
organizations
to
enhance
collaboration
of
suicide
prevention
efforts;
create
a
community
outreach
pilot
program
to
help
veterans
transition
from
active
duty
service;
and
extend
the
ability
for
certain
combat
veterans
to
enroll
in
the
Veterans
Health
Administration
for
one
year.
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