Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), released the following statement emphasizing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recent announcement that nearly 50,000 veterans utilized free emergency suicide prevention care since the implementation of the bipartisan Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment (COMPACT) Act, supported by Congressman Fleischmann.
“We owe an immeasurable debt to our nation’s veterans – because of their service and sacrifice, America remains the land of the free. Tragically, nearly 17 veterans take their own lives each day because they are not receiving the mental health care and support that they deserve,” said Rep. Fleischmann. “Supporting America’s veterans should never be a partisan issue; that’s why I am proud in the first year of the VA’s new free emergency suicide prevention program that I supported, that nearly 50,000 veterans received expert suicide prevention care saving countless lives.”
Background:
- VA suicide prevention policy under the COMPACT Act has helped to prevent veteran suicide by guaranteeing no-cost care to veterans experiencing a mental health crisis, including emergency room care, inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days, outpatient care for up to 90 days, and transportation costs.
- In the first full year of its implementation, 49,714 veterans and former service members used care provided by the COMPACT Act, accessing lifesaving care and saving more than $64 million in health care costs.
- The COMPACT Act has also increased access to no-cost emergent suicide care for up to 9 million veterans because eligible veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system or go to a department facility to use this benefit.
Congressman Fleischmann has been a lifetime and strong supporter of Tennessee’s and America’s veterans. In addition to supporting the bipartisan COMPACT Act, Rep. Fleischmann has also overseen the expansion of VA clinics throughout East Tennessee, voted to increase funding for veterans’ health care and benefits, and voted to pass critical legislation championed by America’s veteran community like the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which provides health care and benefits to veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins.
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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/fleischmann-backed-va-bill-has-provided-50000-veterans-with-free-suicide-prevention-care-in-first-year-of-new-program