Veteran Suicide Prevention Act
Congress Proposes Investigation into VA Prescription Drugs and Veteran Suicide Rates
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would be required to conduct a deep-dive review into the deaths of veterans who died by suicide over the last five years. This study focuses on veterans who received medical care from the VA during that time.
- The review will specifically look at the medications these veterans were taking, including drugs with 'black box warnings'—serious alerts about side effects like suicidal thoughts. It will also track if veterans were taking multiple medications at the same time and what medical conditions led to those prescriptions.
- The study will gather data on the age, gender, race, and combat history of these veterans. It also aims to identify specific VA facilities that have unusually high rates of prescriptions or suicides to see if there are local patterns that need to be addressed.
- The VA must complete this review within 18 months and release a public report. This report will include recommendations for new actions or policies to improve the safety and mental health of veterans across the country.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Broader Impacts
Milestones
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in House
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LI Congressman Leads Effort On New Veteran Suicide Prevention Act
Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) partnered with bipartisan colleagues to introduce the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act. The bill requires the VA to conduct a comprehensive review of veteran suicides over the last five years, specifically tracking prescribed medications and medical diagnoses.
Garbarino Champions Bipartisan Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill
Congressman Andrew Garbarino is leading a bipartisan push for the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act. The legislation aims to identify gaps in VA care by reviewing five years of suicide data, including demographic information and facility-level prescribing patterns to address local trends.
Bipartisan duo reintroduces bill to probe veteran suicide causes
Reps. Jim Himes and Andrew Garbarino have reintroduced the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act. The measure requires the VA to analyze the medical and prescription histories of veterans who died by suicide, including those taking multiple medications or drugs with serious side-effect warnings.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Veteran Suicide Prevention Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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