WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema introduced the bipartisan Military Suicide Prevention in the 21st Century Act—legislation designed to continue reducing suicide among military servicemembers. Sinema’s new bill utilizes the Virtual Hope Box—an application proven to help servicemembers cope with stress and easily access mental health resources— requiring the Department of Defense to download Virtual Hope Box onto issued servicemembers’ smart phones, use the app. during suicide-prevention training, and identify innovative solutions to the enduring problem of military suicide.
“Suicide among our active duty servicemembers and veterans represents a national crisis, and requires us to use every tool available to support our troops. Requiring the Department of Defense to use innovative technology to reduce military suicide will help ensure our brave servicemembers receive the mental health care and resources they’ve earned,” said Sinema.
In 2014, the Defense Health Agency created the Virtual Hope Box, an application proven to help users cope with unpleasant emotions and thoughts. The VHB also includes an easily accessible contact list that users can reach out to for support. VHB was vetted by Department of Veteran Affairs researchers and is available for download by anyone with a smart device. Sinema’s bipartisan Military Suicide Prevention in the 21st Century Act requires the Department of Defense to pre-download the VHB and National Suicide Hotlines onto individually-issued smart devices. The Department of Defense will add these technology resources to department-wide annual suicide prevention training. Most importantly, this bill will force the Department of Defense to identify innovative solutions to the enduring problem of military suicide.
Sinema’s Military Suicide Prevention in the 21st Century Act builds on her Sgt. Daniel Somers Veterans Network of Support Act and Sgt. Daniel Somers Network of Support Act—bipartisan bills requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to create networks of support for servicemembers and new veterans, ensuring loved ones understand the military experiences of all servicemembers. Those bipartisan bills were inspired by the story of Sgt. Daniel Somers. Sgt. Somers served two tours in Iraq and was diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD upon returning home. He lost his life to suicide in 2013. After Sinema learned of Sgt. Somers’ story, she worked with his parents, Howard and Jean Somers, to introduce and successfully pass the Daniel Somers Access to Care Act, which ensures veterans who worked in classified jobs can receive behavioral health services in an appropriate care setting.
Sinema’s new Military Suicide Prevention in the 21st Century Act is supported by Howard and Jean Somers, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the American Psychiatric Association.
