The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will be implementing new steps to reduce the rate of veteran suicides.
Some of the initiatives include a same day evaluation goal for urgent mental health needs, using predictive modeling techniques for early intervention, and increasing the availability of Naloxone kits at VA facilities to prevent opioid overdose deaths.
KJZZ reached out to multiple veteran service organizations in the state for their reaction. They said it’s too early to tell if this will have a measurable impact.
But Dave Hampton with the Arizona Department of Veteran Services did say, "Anything that can be done to reduce veterans suicides is a step in the right direction."
The announcement follows the VA’s recent summit on preventing veteran suicides held in Washington D.C. last month.
