VA Ramps Up Suicide Prevention

The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced plans to hire suicide prevention counselors at each of its 153 medical centers. The new counselors will join the 9,000 mental health professionals already employed by VA. “Every suicide is a tragedy that sends ripples of pain throughout families and communities,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson. “VA health care professionals are committed to provide timely, compassionate intervention, which might help prevent this needless suffering,” he added. Nicholson previously announced a four-day meeting in Washington in July of mental health clinicians and researchers from across the country. This special forum will review all of the departments programs to care for the mental health needs of veterans, especially those returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. About 1 million VA patients currently have a mental health diagnosis.