Senator Patty Murray (at the head of the table in the photo above) is the Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Her office issued the following last week:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 3rd, 2013
CONTACT: Murray Press Office
(202) 224-2834
MILITARY SUICIDE: Murray Effort to Create Standardized Suicide Prevention Program Signed into Law by President Obama
New
law will eliminate gaps in care from one service to the next; change
comes in response to major review of military suicide prevention
programs
(Washington,
D.C.) -- Today, an amendment sponsored by U.S. Senator Patty Murray,
Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, that would require
the Pentagon to implement a standardized and comprehensive suicide
prevention program was signed into law by the President as part of the
National Defense Authorization Act (S.3254). Murray crafted the
amendment after a major study by the RAND Corporation
showed that there are serious gaps and a lack of consistency in
military services' suicide prevention programs. The new law comes as
the number of active duty suicides continues to rise with 2012 exceeding
2011.
"This law is another step forward in
our efforts to ensure that servicemembers aren't slipping through the
cracks," said Senator Murray. "It will help to not only standardize
suicide prevention efforts, but also contains provisions to reduce wait
times, ensure proper diagnoses, and achieve true coordination of care
and information between the Pentagon and the VA. We cannot afford to be
passive about the military suicide epidemic we face. We must continue
to respond with every legislative and outreach effort possible in order
to turn this tragic trend around."
Senator
Murray's amendment [calls on] the Department of Defense to create a
comprehensive, standardized suicide prevention program; expand
eligbility for Department of Veterans Affairs mental health services to
family members; strengthen oversight of DoD Mental Health Care and the
Integrated Disability Evaluation System; improve training and education
for our health care providers; create more peer-to-peer counseling
opportunities; and require VA to establish accurate and reliable
measures for mental health services. For more information on Senator
Murray's ACCESS Act which was signed into law as part of the Defense
Authorization Act visit:
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Matt McAlvanah
Communications Director
U.S. Senator Patty Murray
202-224-2834 - press office
202--224-0228 - direct