VA Secretary David Shulkin, MD, shared his plans Wednesday during a House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing.
The change would allow an estimated 500,000 former OTH service members in the U.S. to receive care for mental health issues at a VA emergency department, Vet Center or the Veterans Crisis Line.
“The president and I have made it clear that suicide prevention is one of our top priorities,” Dr. Shulkin said in a statement. “We know the rate of death by suicide among veterans who do not use VA care is increasing at a greater rate than veterans who use VA care … Veterans who are in crisis should receive help immediately.”
Dr. Shulkin plans to meet with Congress, Veterans Service Organizations and Department of Defense officials before finalizing an expansion plan early this summer, according to a news release.
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