VA Announces $52 Million Boost to US Veterans
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced more than $50 million in grants to help suicide prevention.
Why It Matters
In a 2024 report, the VA revealed there were 6,407 suicides among Veterans in 2022, the latest year for which data is available. According to Stop Soldier Suicide, 140,000 service men and women have died this way since 2001, and the suicide rate among veterans ages 18 to 34 has more than doubled. Veterans are also at 58 percent higher risk of suicide than those who haven't served.
According to the VA, most suicide attempts among current or future veterans occur after they leave military service. The risk is highest during the first three months following separation, though it remains elevated for several years after the transition.
What To Know
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the VA announced that some $52.5 million in funding is now available to support community-based organizations focused on suicide prevention and emergency clinical services for veterans at risk of taking their own life.
Eligible organizations can apply for individual grants of up to $750,000, with the opportunity to renew awards annually throughout the life of the program. The deadline for applications is 4:59 p.m. ET on July 18.
These grants are part of the VA's Staff Sgt. Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, established under the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019. According to the VA, since its launch in 2022, the Fox grant program has awarded more than $157 million to nearly 100 organizations across 43 states, U.S. territories and tribal lands.
Stock image/file photo: The American flag attached to the American military uniform.
Stock image/file photo: The American flag attached to the American military uniform.
GETTY
The announcement follows other health care changes revealed by the VA this week. Veterans no longer need a second VA physician to review and approve their eligibility to receive non-VA health care in an effort to reduce wait times and administrative bottlenecks.
The VA also announced earlier this month it is simplifying how survivors and dependents of deceased veterans access VA benefits. The reforms include relocating the Office of Survivors Assistance (OSA), launching a personalized "White-Glove" Survivor Outreach Team, and expanding automation in the benefits system.
What People Are Saying
VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a press release: "Reducing Veteran suicide starts with reaching Veterans when and how it's most convenient for them. One of the best ways to accomplish this mission is by working with community-based organizations. We look forward to ensuring these funds are put to use helping Veterans in need across the nation."
What Happens Next
The VA will choose the grant recipients by September 30.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
12 hours ago
- Newsweek
FBI Working With India to Disrupt Chinese Fentanyl Network—Kash Patel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel told podcaster Joe Rogan during a Friday episode that the agency is working with the Indian government to dismantle global fentanyl networks, which he said originate in China. Newsweek has reached out to the FBI's press office, the Indian Government's Ministry of External Affairs, and the Chinese Embassy in Washington for comment via email on Saturday. Why It Matters President Donald Trump has made combating the opioid crisis, particularly the influx of illicitfentanyl, a central focus of his administration's policies. Earlier this year, to address the sources of fentanyl trafficking, Trump imposed tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada. There are some legitimate medical uses for fentanyl. The opioid crisis has far-reaching impacts across the country. In 2024, the United States witnessed a significant decrease in opioid-related overdose deaths, dropping from 110,037 in 2023 to 80,391 in 2024, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Rogan, host of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, is one of the most-listened-to media figures, drawing an audience of roughly 11 million listeners. What To Know Patel told Rogan that when he joined the bureau, he launched a "massive enterprise" to target companies in China that manufacture "fentanyl precursors." He said that while China may not produce the drug in its final form, it supplies the key ingredients used to make fentanyl, calling the country the "root of the problem." The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which provides recommendations to Congress, stated in an August 2021 finding that "China remains the primary country of origin for illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States." Patel said during the interview with Rogan that the country has been shipping the precursors "to places like India—and I'm also doing operations in India—and they're having the Mexican cartels now make this fentanyl down in Mexico." In March, the Chinese government published a white paper laying out its purported efforts to crack down on fentanyl trade and hit back at U.S. criticism as Washington imposed tariffs over the issue. "I literally just got off the phone with the Indian government, I said: 'I need your help. This stuff's coming into your country and then they're moving it from your country because India's not consuming fentanyl...I need you and your help,'" the FBI director told Rogan. He explained the FBI is "working with the heads of their [the Indian] government, law enforcement authorities to say, 'We're going to find these companies that buy it and we're going to shut them down. We're going to sanction them; we're going to arrest them where we can. We're going to indict them in America if we can. We're going to indict them in India if we can.'" He reiterated that "this is a global problem." Patel said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) isn't partaking in the trade for profitability reasons, but rather, "in my opinion, the CCP have used it as a directed approach because we are their their long-term game is how do I, in my opinion, kneecap the United States of America, our largest adversary?" suggesting that the drug allows them to "take out generations of young men and women." Tensions between Washington and Beijing have been high over a slew of issues, including tariff policies and national security issues. In May, federal authorities arrested 16 individuals and seized over 400 kilograms of the drug in the largest fentanyl bust in Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) history. FBI Director Kash Patel is seen in Washington on May 8. FBI Director Kash Patel is seen in Washington on May 8. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana What People Are Saying U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC in mid-May: "I have a personal stake in this. There are two very close friends [who] lost children to this terrible scourge. Hundreds of thousands of Americans die every year. And I think that we saw here in Geneva the Chinese are now serious about assisting the U.S. in stopping the flow of precursor drugs." A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said in March: "Facts speak louder than words. The U.S. is spreading all kinds of false information on the fentanyl issue, smearing and scapegoating China, and hiking tariffs on Chinese imports over fentanyl." President Donald Trump wrote in an April 24 Truth Social post: "...By the way, Fentanyl continues to pour into our Country from China, through Mexico and Canada, killing hundreds of thousands of our people, and it better stop, NOW!" What Happens Next? It is unclear what the partnership looks like, but according to Patel it is ongoing.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Measles resurgence highlights the toll of RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine policies
After the U.S. surpassed 1,000 reported measles cases nationwide, it's clear the Trump administration is failing to protect our health and well-being. The measles outbreak in Texas is now the largest since 2000, when the country eliminated measles. And it's not yet over, threatening to make measles endemic in America again, where the risk of infection comes from within our country. Furthermore, two unvaccinated school-aged children in Texas died from measles, the first American children to die from the viral infection since 2003. Normally, a preventable infection causing avoidable deaths of children would lead to prompt government action. In 1991, I was a medical student with the U.S. Public Health Service in Philadelphia during a large measles outbreak. Over 1,000 people were infected, and nine children died. Government and public health leaders required home visits of infected children, mass immunization, education efforts and even court-mandated vaccinations. The outbreak was stopped. In Dec. 2014, a measles outbreak began at Disneyland and spread in communities with low vaccination rates. Public health action stopped this large outbreak at 125 cases. To prevent further outbreaks in California, I authored Senate Bill 277, which eliminated non-medical exemptions for school vaccines. And with further U.S. measles outbreaks in 2019, I authored Senate Bill 276 to crack down on fraudulent medical exemptions. These laws — championed by California parents demanding safe schools for children — raised statewide vaccination rates and shielded our communities. As Congress waits, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is dismantling decades of public health achievement that will make America sicker. Kennedy reduced vaccine outreach, removed key public health officials, spread disinformation from his official post and suppressed data while elevating conspiracy theorists to top positions. Kennedy and the Department of Government Efficiency fired a quarter of Health and Human Services staff, gutting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health teams vital to outbreak response. He installed anti-vaccine extremists as advisors, including David Grier, a discredited researcher disciplined for unethical experiments on children with autism, to 'research' if vaccines cause autism, despite decades of research debunking this myth. The CDC has been muzzled: An analysis showing high rates of measles in low vaccination areas was suppressed, and dozens of Texas vaccination clinics were forced to close. When Kennedy dismantled the CDC's communication team, his former anti-vaccine organization, Children's Health Defense, filled the void with disinformation by publishing a fake CDC-branded vaccine 'safety' website that falsely linked vaccines to autism. The site mimicked official CDC design and branding, deliberately misleading the public. After news reports exposed the deception and forced the site's removal, no federal action has been taken to investigate or prosecute this unlawful impersonation of a federal agency. Furthermore, Dr. Peter Marks, the nation's top vaccine regulator who led President Donald Trump's Operation Warp Speed, refused a demand for false data on brain swelling and death caused by the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine, of which there are no credible cases. Kennedy forced him to resign. In his resignation letter, Marks wrote, 'it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.' And what of the dead children from measles? Kennedy dismissed the first measles death, saying 'it's not unusual.' He blamed measles on poor nutrition, called vaccines a 'personal choice' that could cause 'adverse events' and claimed Vitamin A and cod liver oil treated measles. Subsequently, many Texas children hospitalized with measles also had Vitamin A toxicity. At his first Congressional hearing, Kennedy testified, 'I don't think people should be taking medical advice from me.' He then refused to answer whether he would vaccinate a child against polio. As Health and Human Services secretary, he cravenly refuses to save Americans in a public health crisis. How many children must get sick — and even die — before Congress demands that Kennedy and the Trump administration answer for these preventable deaths and the continued spread of a preventable disease? This flu season, as flu vaccination declined, 226 children died from influenza — the highest since the 2009-10 pandemic. Other preventable and deadly diseases, including polio and whooping cough, will also return when vaccination is hampered and discouraged. Our state has made progress in raising vaccination rates, but we are not immune to Kennedy's dangerous vaccine disinformation; California has communities with enough unvaccinated people to fuel a serious outbreak. Measles outbreaks in other states makes it imperative that California strengthen our public health defenses against sparks of infection. And California needs Congress to hold President Donald Trump and Kennedy accountable for not stopping preventable disease in America. Dr. Richard Pan is a pediatrician and former California state senator who authored landmark legislation to eliminate non-medical exemptions to school vaccination requirements in response to major measles outbreaks.
New York Post
13 hours ago
- New York Post
Menopause drug might prevent breast cancer and treat hot flashes, research finds
A drug intended to treat menopause symptoms could double as breast cancer prevention. New research from Northwestern University in Illinois found that Duavee, a Pfizer-made drug, 'significantly reduced' breast tissue cell growth, which is a major indicator of cancer progression. Advertisement A phase 2 clinical trial included 141 post-menopausal women who had been diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), also known as stage 0 breast cancer, according to a press release from Northwestern. This non-invasive breast cancer affects more than 60,000 American women each year, often leading to an outcome of invasive breast cancer. The women were separated into two groups — one received Duavee and the other took a placebo for a month before undergoing breast surgery. Duavee is a conjugated estrogen/bazedoxifene (CE/BZA) drug, which combines estrogen with another medication that minimizes the potential harmful side effects of the hormone. Advertisement 'The key takeaway from the study is that CE/BZA slows the growth (proliferation) of cells in milk ducts of DCIS that expressed the estrogen receptor significantly more than placebo,' Dr. Swati Kulkarni, lead investigator and professor of breast surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital. 5 New research from Northwestern University found that the drug Duavee 'significantly reduced' breast tissue cell growth, a major indicator of cancer progression. Marko Geber – Another major finding is that the quality of life did not differ significantly between the two groups, but patients who took the CE/BZA reported fewer hot flashes during the study, she noted. 'This would be expected, as the drug is FDA-approved to treat hot flashes.' Advertisement Kulkarni presented the study last week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago. 5 The women in the study were separated into two groups — one received Duavee and the other took a placebo for a month before undergoing breast surgery. Gorodenkoff – 5 Those who took the drug reported fewer hot flashes during the study. fizkes – The findings are preliminary and have not yet been published in a medical journal. Advertisement 'What excites me most is that a medication designed to help women feel better during menopause may also reduce their risk of invasive breast cancer,' said the doctor, who is also a Northwestern Medicine breast surgeon. Women who face a higher risk of breast cancer — including those who have experienced 'high-risk lesions' — and who also have menopausal symptoms are most likely to benefit from the drug, according to Kulkarni. 'These women are typically advised against standard hormone therapies, leaving them with few menopausal treatment options,' the release stated. Study limitations The researchers said they are 'encouraged' by these early results, but more research is required before the medication can be considered for approval as a breast cancer prevention mechanism. 'Our findings suggest that CE/BZA may prevent breast cancer, but larger studies with several years of follow-up are needed before we would know this for sure,' Kulkarni told Fox News Digital. Dr. Sheheryar Kabraji, chief of breast medicine at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York, was not involved in the study but commented on the findings. 5 'What excites me most is that a medication designed to help women feel better during menopause may also reduce their risk of invasive breast cancer,' Dr. Swati Kulkarni said. sarayutsridee – Advertisement 'While intriguing, this study is highly preliminary, and more research will be needed before we can conclude that conjugated estrogen/bazedoxifene (CD/BZA), a form of the hormone estrogen commonly prescribed to address symptoms of menopause, prevents invasive breast cancer or is effective at reducing cancer risk,' he told Fox News Digital. Kabraji also noted that the study focused on reducing levels of one specific protein, 'which does not always predict reduced recurrence of breast cancer.' 'This study did not directly show that CE/BZA treatment reduces the risk of DCIS recurrence or development of invasive cancer,' he noted. 5 According to Kulkarni,'larger studies with several years of follow-up are needed' to confirm that the drug prevents breast cancer. Science RF – Advertisement 'Importantly, however, patients who received this therapy experienced no worsening of quality of life, and saw improvement in vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes. If found to be effective in preventing breast cancer, CE/BZA is likely to have fewer side effects than current medications used for breast cancer prevention.' Lead researcher Kulkarni emphasized that this medication is not for the treatment of invasive breast cancer or DCIS. 'Right now, we can say that women who are concerned about their risk of developing breast cancer can consider this medication to treat their menopausal symptoms,' she added.
