Senator Hassan Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill Directing VA to Study Veterans Crisis Line
WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) cosponsored the bipartisan Veterans Crisis Line Study Act of 2017, introduced by Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN), to help ensure that the Veterans Crisis Line is effectively serving veterans in distress. The bill requires the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to formally study and report on the effectiveness of the Veterans Crisis Line in preventing suicide and addressing mental health care.
“Veterans’ post-traumatic stress and suicide is a national crisis, and a strong and effective Veterans Crisis Line is critical to helping address tragic rates of suicide among our veterans who have sacrificed bravely in defense of our freedoms,” Senator Hassan said. “We must do everything we can to ensure that veterans are receiving the best care and support possible, and passing the Veterans Crisis Line Study Act would be an important step in fulfilling that responsibility.”
As part of her efforts to improve veterans’ health care, Senator Hassan has helped introduce a number of bipartisan bills, some of which the President has already signed into law:
- The Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act to help reduce wait times and improve the process for veterans seeking benefits from the VA. The President signed the measure into law in August.
- The Better Workforce for Veterans Act to address crippling workforce shortages at the VA in order to improve health care delivery for America’s veterans. Key provisions of this bill were signed into law by the President as part of the VA Choice Extension.
- The Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, a bill that would require the VA to hire additional Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) specialists in order to ensure that veterans have greater access to effective and tailored treatment.
- The Veterans Preventive Health Coverage Fairness Act, which would help make health care more affordable for America’s veterans by changing current law that forces veterans to pay co-pays for preventive health care services that military retirees and civilians with private insurance plans currently receive at no cost.
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