White House veteran suicide prevention task force releases new roadmap with focus on intergovernmental, community partnerships

Upcoming Events

Conference

NACo AI South Regional Forum

Conference

2025 NACo Legislative Conference

Related News

Advocacy

County Countdown – December 2, 2024

Image of GettyImages-973288882.jpg

Key Takeaways

On June 17, the White House’s interagency veteran suicide prevention task force released a two-year, $53 million strategy outlining public health approaches to suicide prevention, with emphasis on the special needs of veterans. Publication of the roadmap follows several convenings of task force members throughout 2019 and early 2020, after President Trump’s Executive Order directing the formation of the group.

The strategy centers broadly around multi-sector action steps and partnerships, including creation of a national public health campaign, improvements to federal suicide surveillance and research, and greater collaboration across federal, state and local governments, along with business and non-profit partners. Other steps outlined under the roadmap include encouraging employers to provide mental health and wellness practices, increasing suicide-prevention training in different professions and promoting effective community-based practices to prevent suicides.

Additionally, the roadmap outlines immediate steps for state and local governments to address veteran suicide in our communities. Specific actions include the creation of community partnerships between state and local governments and local chambers of commerce, cities and governors’ offices, as well as the passage of local ordinances to raise awareness around the issue of veteran suicide.

The task force is expected to culminate with the development of legislation in Congress that authorizes new funding for federal programs for veteran suicide prevention. The timing of this proposal, however, remains unclear as legislators face the upcoming FY 2021 appropriations deadline on September 30, 2020, as well as a potential fifth legislative package to address the COVID-19 crisis.

At the local level, counties help veterans access a range of service-connected federal benefits – including health care, housing and transition assistance programs – through county veteran service officers (CVSOs). Across the country, CVSOs in 36 states and two Native American tribes process more than $22 billion annually in claims for direct compensation and pension benefits for veterans – benefits that have become especially critical during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NACo appreciates the administration’s focus on this serious issue in our communities and continues to weigh in on federal proposals to support our veterans’ health and well-being.


For additional resources, please see the following links:

Image of GettyImages-973288882.jpg

Tagged In:

Attachments

Related News

Veteran saluting flag
Advocacy

Congress enacts federal funding for County Veteran Service Officers

On December 16, the U.S. House passed the bipartisan, bicameral Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. This omnibus-style legislation compiled several proposals that seek to modernize the delivery of healthcare, benefits and services at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Veteran with therapist
Press Release

Counties applaud passage of legislation supporting County Veterans Service Officers

NACo applauds Congress' passage of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, a bipartisan, bicameral package that seeks to reform and improve the delivery of healthcare, benefits, and services at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans, their families, and their survivors. 

THE_County Countdown_working_image-4.png
Advocacy

County Countdown – December 2, 2024

Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.