VA Announces Free Emergency Health Care for Veterans in Suicidal Crisis

Ryan Callahan — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 19:48:36 -0500

If you’re a Veteran in acute suicidal crisis or if you know someone who is, you now have greater access to intensive help, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced this month.

Veterans determined to be in acute crisis can now get up to 30 free days of inpatient care and/or up to 90 free days of outpatient care whether or not they’re enrolled in VA. VA will cover the costs of services delivered by either a VA or non-VA provider and related emergency transportation expenses.

The policy, which took effect January 17th, 2023, is for Veterans “at imminent risk of self-harm” based on the assessment of trained health care providers or crisis responders. VA interprets the term “trained crisis responder” to include Veterans Crisis Line counselors and first responders such as police officers, firefighters and emergency medical services professionals.

“This expansion of care will save Veterans’ lives, and there’s nothing more important than that,” Denis McDonough, VA secretary, said in a news release.

The expanded care for eligible Veterans is authorized by section 201 of the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment (COMPACT) Act of 2020.

VA published an interim final rule on Jan. 17 interpreting that section and further defining what’s covered, which includes:

• Providing, paying for, or reimbursing the costs of treatment for emergency suicide care, emergency transportation, and follow-up care, including up to 30 days of inpatient or crisis residential care and/or 90 days of outpatient care.

• Determining which other benefits and services Veterans are eligible for.

• Making referrals for further care and for other VA programs and benefits following emergent suicide care.

Veterans eligible for the benefits include those who:

• Served on or were released from active duty after more than 24 months and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

• Served in the armed forces (including reserves) for more than 100 days under a combat exclusion or for a direct or unmanned aerial vehicle support for a contingency operation and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

• During service in the armed forces survived a physical assault of a sexual nature, a battery of a sexual nature or sexual harassment.

Broad definition of imminent risk and type of care

In the interim rule, VA doesn’t specify which behaviors or statements are necessary to indicate that someone is at imminent risk of self-harm.

Such determinations can “vary greatly based on a totality of circumstances and information as assessed by the trained crisis responder or health care provider,” VA says in the rule. “We will not regulate, however, that an individual must communicate any particular language, or that their behavior must meet any particular parameters, or that they must have any type of diagnosis to indicate that they are in acute suicidal crisis.”

As long as it’s clinically necessary, VA also broadly defines what’s considered emergent suicide care. For instance, VA says most Veterans may need both inpatient care to be stabilized and outpatient care to prevent relapse and address the effects of the initial crisis.

“Therefore,” it says in the rule, “VA will not regulate outpatient care to be solely available as an alternative to inpatient or crisis residential care, as we envision nearly all individuals in acute suicidal crisis will require some level of emergent suicide care on an inpatient basis to be followed by care on an outpatient basis.”

Additional resources for Veterans in crisis

VA noted that this action follows other efforts to prevent and end Veteran death by suicide, including a new rule to lower or eliminate copays for Veterans at risk of suicide: https://rly.pt/3iSSLfE

Find and share these additional mental health and suicide prevention resources:

• Call or share the Veterans Crisis Line number, which is 988 and press 1.

Learn more:

• Read the interim final rule, which provides more details about the coverage, eligibility and more: https://rly.pt/3kjdYzT

• Read the VA news release from Jan. 13: https://rly.pt/3WhqUDO

3iSSLfE

Response by PO2 Marco Monsalve made Jan 17 at 2023 8:07 PM

PO2 Marco Monsalve — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 20:07:06 -0500

Too many suicides, glad they are doing more

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2023 8:28 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 20:28:32 -0500

Too many suicides from generals on down to privates, alcohol is a factor but nobody wants to talk about it because the government makes too much money from it especially the Army Air Force exchange.

https://www.aa.org/

Have a problem with alcohol? There is a solution. | Alcoholics Anonymous

Have a problem with alcohol? There is a solution. A.A. has a simple program that works. It’s based on one alcoholic helping another.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2023 11:58 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 23:58:32 -0500

This Marine Corps Reserve Lieutenant Colonel killed himself after going to the bar and complaining to his fellow drug enforcement agency comrades on how he hated his job. I know this because a full bird colonel in my old unit told me this story after he went to the funeral.

Alcohol is a problem. Alcohol can make you do things you wouldn't normally do. This guy went home and shot himself. His neighbor heard the gun go off

This was not reported in the newspaper but this Colonel I knew in the 75th training command told me this because it was one of his co-workers. He knew him personally.

Stay sober, stay alive and call the suicide hotline.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2023 11:58 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 23:58:47 -0500

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

Veterans Crisis Line

24/7, confidential crisis support for Veterans and their loved ones. Contact the Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online, or text 838255.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2023 12:00 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 00:00:42 -0500

This d e a agent who was also a Marine Corps Reserve squadron commander killed himself after telling coworkers at a bar that he was frustrated with his job. He went home and shot himself. A full bird colonel who was one of his co-workers told me a week or two after the incident and after he went to attend the funeral. Stay sober and stay alive!
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/03/15/marine-reserve-reconnaissance-commander-found-dead-at-home/

Marine reserve reconnaissance commander found dead at home

Officials have ruled his death a suicide.

Response by CPT Richard Trione made Jan 18 at 2023 3:42 PM

CPT Richard Trione — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 15:42:04 -0500

Thank you for sharing.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2023 5:04 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 17:04:24 -0500

As LTC Private RallyPoint Member stated, a tremendous number of our troops have an alcohol addiction. The VA has Addiction Specialists; if you need help, contact your care team and request a referral. You will get support and meet many others in the groups (ours are virtual now) that provide great support and personal stories that are not so different from yours.

Response by SGT Alan Martinez made Jan 18 at 2023 9:41 PM

SGT Alan Martinez — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 21:41:15 -0500

FYI, The stats on completed suicide has been recently updated and there are changes to the demographic most at risk. It seems now the the highest risk group are those that are between ages 18-34. We prevent suicide by asking the question "are you suicidal?" when we see the signs. Learn your people and know the signs.

Response by SGT Ruben Lozada made Jan 23 at 2023 2:26 PM

SGT Ruben Lozada — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:26:53 -0500

Excellent post. Thank You for sharing this.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 24 at 2023 3:13 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 15:13:41 -0500

RP should discuss the Caregiver Program as well.

Response by SP5 David Dragon made Jan 25 at 2023 7:14 PM

SP5 David Dragon — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 19:14:53 -0500

Good news for the Veteran homeless population.

Response by SPC Jerome Reed made Jan 26 at 2023 11:05 AM

SPC Jerome Reed — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 11:05:49 -0500

Great news. It is very important, and is well needed.

Response by SPC Bill Johnson made Feb 7 at 2023 9:31 AM

SPC Bill Johnson — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 09:31:55 -0500

I deleted my response regarding the VA as some people may be socially offended to my Veternese. When they canceled in person mental health counseling for TWO YEARS - they showed me how much I matter so I'll leave it at that.