Veterans

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/232659-obama-signs-military-suicide-prevention-bill-into-law

Obama signs military suicide prevention bill into law
By Martin Matishak - 02/12/15 02:55 PM EST

President Obama on Thursday signed a $24 million bill aimed at preventing suicide among military veterans.

The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, named after a 28-year-old Marine Corps veteran who took his life in 2011, after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, calls for external audits of suicide prevention programs in the Veterans Affairs Department to determine which efforts are successful or should be cut.

It also creates a centralized website detailing mental healthcare services available from the VA and starts a three-year pilot program to repay student loan debt for those who study psychiatric medicine and commit to working for the agency.

“Today we honor a young man who isn’t here but should be here,” Obama said during a signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House. “Clay had already done a great deal of good in the world and the truth is he was just getting started.”

Obama said it is a “national mission” to make sure veterans receive the help they need to transition to civilian life.More than 8,000 veterans commit suicide every year, according to VA estimates.

Obama said the legislation would help fill “critical gaps” but warned that it is not a “complete solution.”
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