WASHINGTON, DC – Today, ahead of Veterans Day, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Dave McCormick (R-PA) introduced a bill to increase the availability of mental health services for veterans. The bipartisan VA Zero Suicide Demonstration Project Act would implement a Zero Suicide Initiative pilot program at five Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers across the nation, one of which must serve primarily veterans who live in rural and remote areas.
“As a nation, we have a responsibility to make sure no veteran is left behind – especially when it comes to their mental health and well-being,” dijo el Senador Rosen. “I’m proud to introduce this important bipartisan legislation to expand access to lifesaving mental health resources, including in rural and underserved areas, to help prevent veteran suicide and support long-term recovery. As long as I’m in the Senate, I’ll always work to make sure every servicemember and veteran has the care, support, and hope they deserve.”
“Perhaps the greatest tragedy in our nation is the nearly 18 veterans we lose every day to suicide,” said Senator McCormick. “The Zero Suicide Initiative is exactly the type of wholistic approach we need to ensure our nation’s heroes have access to the effective mental health resources they need, and I’m grateful to Senator Rosen for her leadership on this issue.”
Senator Rosen has been actively working to ensure that Nevada’s veterans have the federal support they need. This year, she introduced the FORGOTTEN Veterans Act, which would ensure that veterans who served at classified locations within the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) since 1951 are able to prove that they served there, and can finally get the PACT Act benefits they deserve following their exposure to radiation from nuclear tests and other toxins. Senator Rosen also introduced a bipartisan bill with Senator Moran to incentivize employers to hire student veterans for part-time work and paid internships. She’s also secured funding to increase access to affordable housing for veterans, continue building Nevada’s first national veterans cemetery in Elko, and increase funding for veterans’ access to telehealth.
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