January 3, 2012 -
WASHINGTON D.C. - Military Services will soon be improving their suicide prevention programs. Today, President Obama signed U.S. Senator Patty Murray's amendment into law.
As part of the National Defense Authorization Act, the law requires that the Pentagon implements a standardized and comprehensive suicide prevention program.
Murray crafted the amendment after a study by the RAND Corporation found inconsistencies in military suicide prevention, and that the number of active duty suicides continued to rise in 2012.
Senator Murray's amendment calls for the Department of Defense to create a comprehensive, standardized suicide prevention program; expand eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs mental health services to family members; strengthen oversight of DoD Mental Health Care and the Integrated Disability Evaluation System; improve training and education for our health care providers; create more peer-to-peer counseling opportunities; and require VA to establish accurate and reliable measures for mental health services.
