Trump Administration Looks to Tackle Veteran Suicide with New Order

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is making strides to help veterans transition from military to civilian life, particularly those at greater risk of suicide.

The president signed a new executive order Tuesday titled "Supporting Our Veterans During Their Transition from Uniformed Service to Civilian Life."

"A lot of focus on the veterans," said Trump. "They're the people we should be focusing on."

The order gives the secretaries of defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs 60 days to develop a joint action plan to provide "seamless access to mental health treatment and suicide prevention resources for transitioning uniformed service members in the year" following service.

According to the Naval Post Graduate School, "Veterans 3 to 12 months out of military service are three times more likely to commit suicide than their active duty compatriots."

"They get out of the military and they have nobody to talk to, nobody to speak to," explained the president.

The program will likely include expanded services for veterans, including intensive therapy, peer support and the "Whole Health" model of group support for servicemen and women.

Veterans will be automatically enrolled but be allowed to opt out.

A senior administration official told reporters the "opt out" strategy will cut down on vets who say they have trouble finding information or access to current mental health programs.

A senior administration official also said the costs total a "couple million" dollars and will come from resources already available to the VA and the DOD.  

That new executive order will go into effect March 9.

Servicemen and women who are already out of the military are encouraged to take advantage of the programs already available, such as the Department of Defense's "Be There" and the Veteran's Crisis Line.

Those with an "other than honorable" discharge will not be able to take advantage of the changes.

However, in 2017 the VA under Director Dr. David Shulkin opened up emergency mental health services for all former military members, including those with "other than honorable" discharges.

The administration says it is still looking for ways to help those with OTH discharges.

Last year, the president signed the VA Accountability & Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, making it easier to fire bad employees by lowering the burden of proof needed to let them go.