Kuster Applauds Passage of Bill She Helped Introduce to Prevent Veteran Suicides

On Dec. 10, U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, NH-02, applauded the passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. She helped introduce the legislation after hearing from families during a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing who lost their loved ones due to suicide. The Clay Hunt Act will provide oversight at the DOD and VA to help ensure all veterans can access the comprehensive mental health services they need.

“We must ensure every veteran has access to high-quality mental health services, which are just as crucial for recovery as physical health services,” said Kuster. “Many of our men and women in uniform experience extremely traumatic situations while serving in the military, and mental health services are critical for helping these veterans move forward so they can integrate back into civilian life when they return home. I was proud to push for passage of this legislation, and I will continue to fight to ensure no veteran ever has trouble accessing the mental health services he or she needs and deserves.”

The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, is named after Clay Hunt, an Afghanistan and Iraq war veteran who tragically faced barriers to receiving mental health care at the VA, and whose Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome led to his suicide. In his honor, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act will implement a comprehensive, community-based approach to suicide prevention among former service members, and will increase oversight at the VA. The bill will require a third party to annually evaluate both the Department of Defense and the VA mental health and suicide prevention programs, and it will require the VA to develop an interactive website for mental health services that is integrated with the National Guard Bureau. The bill also addresses the deficiency of mental health professionals at the VA by creating an education loan repayment pilot program to recruit new practitioners to the VA.

After the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee uncovered gross instances of mismanagement at the Phoenix VA and other VA centers across the country, Kuster helped lead the investigation into the scandal. She worked across the aisle to push for much-needed reforms, including comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to completely overhaul the VA and help ensure no veteran ever has to wait for care.

Submitted text.