[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 124 (Thursday, September 19, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6616-S6617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, September is National Suicide Prevention 
Month. I think as a member of the Veterans' Committee, as an American, 
as a Member of the Senate, it is important for us to pause for a minute 
and recognize some alarming facts about suicide in America among our 
veterans.
  On average, every day, 365 days a year, 22 veterans who have served 
America take their own life in suicide. That is 8,000 veterans a year, 
an alarming number that is growing. It is important for us to recognize 
the need to see to it our veterans have access to those things that can 
help to prevent suicide and make sure it is minimized and happens as 
little as possible.
  Recent surveys by VSOs--the veterans service organizations--have 
demonstrated that an alarming number of veterans in America out of our 
22 million have actually considered suicide. An even more alarming 
number actually knows someone who attempted to take their life or, in 
fact, was successful.
  We know there are reasons that reach out and help us, and we know 
there are reasons that are hurting us. One that is hurting us right now 
is long lines for veterans in need of mental health. Mental health 
needs are an emergency. They are time-sensitive. We need to improve our 
wait times so they are not as long at our VA hospitals.
  There is a nationwide shortage, both public and private, of mental 
health providers. We need to work to improve the number of providers 
for our entire country. Scarce appointment times for veterans because 
of their work or family obligations and scarce appointment times 
because of overworked VA hospitals make it sometimes difficult and 
protracted for a veteran to receive services.
  Most important to me are the gaps in the continuum of service and 
treatment for a veteran under mental stress and depression. I wish to 
focus on that for a moment.
  Recently I held a VA field hearing in Atlanta, GA, because of the 
tragedy that took place at the Atlanta VA. We had two suicides of 
veterans under the care of the hospital and one overdose of drugs while 
someone was in the hospital and under the care of the hospital.
  Those brought about an inspector general's report that made a 
plethora of recommendations to the Veterans' Administration in Atlanta 
but also nationwide on things the VA needed to do to address those 
problems. To the credit of Director Petzel, who is head of all VA 
medical care, and Eric Shinseki, the Secretary of the Veterans' 
Administration, the VA has begun taking initiatives to do so. We have 
to make sure

[[Page S6617]]

they accelerate those initiatives and provide the care that is 
necessary so that wherever possible we eliminate the wait times and the 
lack of continuum of care.
  In a recent survey by the inspector general, they found that 20 
percent of veterans--one in five--who were referred to a private mental 
health provider never received an appointment. That is one in every 
five veterans who have come in and admitted they have a problem. They 
may be at risk for taking their own life. They may be depressed. That 
is unsatisfactory.
  One of the focuses we made in our hearing was bringing about better 
coordination by the VA in terms of accessing community resources in 
mental health to see to it that we raised the number of providers 
offering mental health services to our veterans. As I said earlier in 
my remarks, suicide is preventable. It is not preventable, however, if 
there is no access to therapy, no access to consultation, and no access 
for our veterans when they need it the most.
  Let me brag a little bit about the VA and some of what they have done 
in recent years that was helped and give you some amazing statistics.
  In 2007 the Veterans Crisis Line was conceived where veterans in 
trouble could call in and receive counseling. More than 814,000 calls 
have been received by the Veterans Crisis Line since it opened, and 
28,000 interventions have saved the lives of veterans. There are 28,000 
veterans who are alive today because of the crisis line.
  In 2009 the VA added an anonymous online chat service where a veteran 
could have a nonthreatening way of communicating and seeking therapy 
anonymously. There have been 94,000 calls since its inception.
  Most impressive to me is that in 2011 the Veterans Crisis Line added 
texting as a way to expand its accessibility to veterans.
  If you are a veteran in crisis, we need to make sure, as Senators and 
members of the Veterans' Committee, that you have the access you need 
to therapy and counseling when you need it. We all know that the 
tragedy of suicide is terrible for a family and a horrible loss of a 
life that was sacrificed on behalf of the United States of America. We 
owe it to ourselves to see that the Veterans' Administration continues 
to improve access to mental health services, continues to reduce their 
wait times and long lines, and continues to cooperate and reach out to 
the community to bring in private providers on a referral basis so that 
veterans in need of care receive a referral and an appointment quickly.
  My last point is that it is important that the VA follow that veteran 
to see to it they keep that appointment. In the cases of the suicides 
in the Atlanta VA, the failure to keep an appointment or the failure to 
have a continuum of care in the following of that veteran substantially 
created and contributed to the loss of life.
  While we have had tragedies at the Atlanta VA, things are improving. 
While we have had tragedies and suicides across the country, we are 
finally focusing on veteran suicide.
  Lastly, we need to focus on the fact that there are many contributing 
factors to suicide. Many people will think it is someone returning from 
Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. In some cases, 
that is true, but more often than not veterans over 50 are the victims 
of suicide. In fact, of the ones in Atlanta, they were Vietnam-era 
veterans.
  It is important we understand that it is every veteran who is at 
risk, that it is every veteran who needs access to treatment. We need 
to understand that we owe our veterans a big debt. It is most important 
to see to it that they don't lose their lives out of despair and 
depression, that their lives are saved because our VA cares enough to 
see to it that they have the continuum of care and the access to help 
they so vitally need.
  To the VA Administration, thanks for the improvements you are making. 
To every Member of the Senate, let's continue to support the Veterans' 
Administration with the funding necessary to deal with the more than 1 
million new veterans returning home from the wars in the Middle East 
over the last decade.
  I yield back the remainder of my time, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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