Pappas-Backed Bill Has Provided 50,000 Veterans with Suicide Prevention Care, Saved $65 Million in Health Care Costs
The Department of Veteran Affairs announced that nearly 50,0000 veterans have received free emergency suicide prevention care under the COMPACT ACT, which Pappas fought to pass
This week Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, applauded the news that nearly 50,000 veterans have received free emergency suicide prevention care since the implementation of the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment Act, or Veterans COMPACT Act, which he supported, helped to craft, and worked to pass in the House.
“The Veterans COMPACT Act is helping ensure veterans get the care they need when they need it,” said Congressman Pappas. “One year since its implementation, this legislation that I fought to pass has strengthened VA’s ability to meet veterans’ mental health needs and save lives. Veterans who served our country shouldn’t face any barriers to access the care they have earned, and I’ll continue working in a bipartisan fashion to strengthen veteran suicide prevention efforts and ensure the needs of New Hampshire veterans are being met.”
Among its provisions, the Veterans COMPACT Act includes language co-authored by Pappas to require annual VA Police de-escalation and crisis intervention training.
Background:
In June 2022, Pappas helped pass the bipartisan Supporting the Resilience of Our Nation's Great Veterans Act of 2022, or the STRONG Veterans Act in the House. This legislation would expand VA resources and tools to support the mental health of veterans and reduce veteran suicide.
In February 2022, Pappas called on VA to fully implement a provision in the Veterans COMPACT Act, that requires annual, interactive suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and verbal de-escalation training for all VA police officers.
In March 2021, Pappas hosted a discussion with veterans, mental health care providers, health experts, and Manchester VA leadership about the need to continue to address the mental and emotional health needs of our veterans community.
In November 2020, Pappas applauded Congress’s passage of the Veterans COMPACT Act, which he supported and helped to craft in the House. The legislation was signed into law the following month.