2019-04-18 04:28:34
■ In March, the president signed an executive order aiming to reduce the number of suicides among veterans.
The order, known as the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide, or PREVENTS, creates a high-level task force to develop research strategies and plans to prevent veteran suicide and provide grants for communities across the country that may have a large veteran population.
“Answering this call to action requires an aspirational, innovative, all-hands-on-deck approach to public health, not government as usual. The federal government alone cannot achieve effective or lasting reductions in the veteran suicide rate,” the order states.
According to the White House, the task force will develop a public health road map that will include a national research strategy for studying suicide risk factors and intervention efforts, as well as proposals for equipping states and communities with the resources needed to undertake suicide prevention and quality-of-life initiatives for former service members.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, there is help. Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255.
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