Veteran suicide prevention grant gets bipartisan support in hearings

Yahoo

30-04-2025

With suicide claiming the lives of about 18 veterans each day, back-to-back congressional hearings this week focused on bipartisan efforts to reauthorize the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program and push back against what lawmakers called the "Trump agenda."
"Imagine, after wearing a uniform and serving our nation, these veterans were dying in silence with the pain of PTSD, depression, substance abuse and the risk of self harm," Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill, said at the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing Wednesday.
Lawmakers cited inadequate staff training, long wait times, and weak continuity of care as key reasons veterans suffer needlessly from mental health problems.
Ramirez criticized the Trump administration for sending doctors to VA centers who had been performing telework for years. The VA centers had no space for them and, as a result, some had conducted sensitive telehealth appointments in unsuitable locations such as closets and shower stalls.
"We can't talk about adequate intervention without talking about adequate investment," Ramirez said.
Chairwoman Jen Kiggans, R-Va., a Navy veteran and nurse practitioner, stressed that money alone cannot solve the crisis. She said the VA needs more psychologists and psychiatrists, so veterans get the care they need and doctors and nurses have adequate guidance when issuing prescriptions.
"I've heard horror stories from constituents who have been prescribed pain medication and told to take more when they feel bad and less when they feel better," Kiggans said. "As a provider, I would not remember prescribing two medications that might interact without first consulting a psychiatrist. This is unacceptable."
According to Kiggans, despite a 479% increase in the VA's budget since 2001, veteran suicide rates have remained largely stagnant. "The VA is doing less with more," she added, urging Congress to scrutinize VA bureaucracy and enforce stronger oversight.
She urged her colleagues not to politicize veterans' suicides.
"Suicide prevention and veteran mental health are bipartisan issues. Losing these veterans impacts red states and blue states," Kiggans said.
At Tuesday's Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing focused on "Enhancing Outreach to Support Veterans' Mental Health," senators from both parties expressed support for the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program.
This grant was authorized under the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, which became law nearly five years ago but must be reauthorized.
The lawmakers called for reauthorizing the Fox Grant because it would allow the VA to collaborate with trusted community organizations that can step in when the department lacks resources and staff. By expanding access to care beyond traditional VA facilities, especially in underserved areas, the program addresses gaps caused by systemic VA issues and helps ensure veterans receive the support they need before reaching a crisis point.
To ensure positive outcomes, Russell Lemle, senior policy analyst for the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute, explained that the reauthorization should continue requiring data-targeted solutions. He said without the data focus, the program's efficacy in tracking veterans' progress could be undermined.
"The original Fox Grant legislation required community organizations to measure changes in risk factors like loss of income, relationships, and housing at both the beginning and end of services." Lemle said. "This data collection was the single best part of the program."
Austin Lambright, a Marine Corps veteran, who served two combat deployments in Iraq, told the committee that veterans struggle when transitioning out of service. For instance, he battled with post traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and thoughts of suicide. He emphasized the first 18 months of transition were amongst the most difficult.
Through the Fox Grant, Lambright found a pathway forward. "The program connected me with Upstate Warrior Solution, and I was able to receive both inpatient and outpatient care for PTSD and alcohol abuse," he explained. "It gave me the tools to heal and reconnect with my purpose, especially for my son."
Testimony from veterans at the Senate Committee hearing underscored how the program provided veterans with access to essential care and support, especially in the transition period.
In Wednesday's hearing, Dr. Ilse Wiechers said suicides among veterans have increased. In 2022, the 6,407 ended their lives in suicides and suicide was the second highest cause of death for veterans under age 45-years-old, according to a December 2024 VA report.
"I think ensuring transition from service member to veteran status is important, in particular, ensuring that we have continuity of mental health care, especially for those who may be receiving medication," she said.
Members of Congress from both parties emphasized the importance of the Fox Grant.
"It's been a game changer for so many veterans. It's geared toward meeting veterans where they are, providing access to services from trusted community partners and underserved communities," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. "And my hope is we'll have bipartisan support for reauthorizing the Fox Grant Program."
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24/7. Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support.