Sinema Working to Prevent Suicide Among Veterans
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema cosponsored the bipartisan Not Just A Number Act – bipartisan legislation requiring the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take a comprehensive look at suicide among veterans and evaluate the effectiveness of VA suicide prevention programs.
“Identifying which VA programs work best to prevent suicide will help support veterans in times of need and save lives,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
The bipartisan Not Just A Number Act requires VA to see the veterans’ benefits usage in VA’s annual suicide prevention report. This allows VA to see the relationship between VA benefits and suicide outcomes. The legislation also requires VA to identify which VA benefits have the greatest impact on preventing suicide, and requires VA to submit recommendations for expansion of those benefits to prevent veteran suicides.
Suicide among veterans has been increasing every year. A 2020 VA study identified that the veteran suicide rate in Arizona was significantly higher than the national veteran suicide rate.
Sinema, a member of the Senate Bipartisan Mental Health Caucus and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, led multiple bipartisan laws tostrengthen mental health care services and resources for Arizona veterans and civilians. These bipartisan laws include Sinema’s Sgt. Daniel Somers Veterans Network of Support law, which creates networks of support for servicemembers transitioning to civilian life; Sinema’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which includes $15 billion in mental health and behavioral health care services preventing community and school violence; the launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and more.
In 2019, shortly after being elected as Arizona’s senior Senator, Sinema dedicated her first Senate floor speech to Sgt. Daniel Somers – an Arizona veteran who served two tours in Iraq and was diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD upon returning home. Sgt. Somers lost his life to suicide in 2013. After Sinema learned of Sgt. Somers’ story, she worked tirelessly with his parents – Howard and Jean Somers – to introduce and successfully pass into law the Sgt. Daniel Somers Access to Care Act, which ensures veterans who worked in classified jobs can receive behavioral health services in an appropriate care setting.
Veterans in crisis or in need or immediate help can call the free and 24/7 Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 1-800-273-8255 and then pressing 1. Veterans may also chat via VeteransCrisisLine.Net or text 838255. All communications are confidential.