A Partnership to Improve Veterans’ Access to Mental Health Resources

A partnership between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Cohen Veterans Network, Inc. (CVN) has just been announced. The aim of this partnership is to reduce the number of veteran suicides by improving access to mental health resources.

The VA and CVN will focus on both the mental health and overall well-being of veterans. Increased access to the appropriate services could potentially save the lives of many. VA Secretary David J. Shulkin stated, “with 14 out of the 20 veterans who take their own lives per day not engaging in VA care, partnerships such as this help those veterans, as well as their families, receive care where they live.”

The plan of action for this collaboration is as follows. First, access to clinics and mental health facilities must be increased. The VA and the CVN will decide upon locations for new Cohen Clinics. In order to best serve veterans, these clinics will be spotted in regions which currently lack mental health facilities and services. Second, clinic employees must be properly prepared and informed. The VA has developed a number of educational resources, including suicide prevention training and military culture training, which will be critical for the health care providers to know. Putting this training to the test will ultimately make a difference to those in need.

President and CEO of CVN, Dr. Anthony Hassan, said, “this partnership will help us save lives by getting care to veterans faster, and therefore, preventing suicides.”

Veterans in crisis or having thoughts of suicide should call the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential support. Accessible 24 hours a day. Call 800-273-8255 and press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text to 838255.

More information can be found at https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=4017.