In early December, the Clay Hunt SAV Act was unanimously passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is designed to mobilize resources to address the current crisis in veteran suicides.
But less than a week later, a sole U.S. senator, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, placed a hold on the bill, stopping further progress of the bill until after the beginning of the new session of Congress in 2015.
Veterans groups such as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) have expressed outrage over the delay. IAVA points out that on average, 22 veterans commit suicide each day, and that any delay in improving suicide prevention cost lives.
One Michigan veteran, Nicholas Hunt, published an editorial in the Lansing State Journal underlining the need for more suicide prevention resources in Michigan and exhorting Michigan legislators to do more.
In his editorial, Hunt pointed out that in Battle Creek, veterans endure wait time of up to five weeks to see a mental health professional. Hunt argues that all over the state of Michigan, more resources are needed to get psychological support to veterans faster.
Hunt chided Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow and Representative Tim Walberg for not co-sponsoring the bill. He calls on them both to pursue whatever actions they can to ensure that the bill is passed expediently in 2015.
The act is named for Clay Hunt, a veteran who committed suicide at the age of 28. Hunt, a veteran of Iraq and a Purple Heart recipient, struggled to receive appropriate service connections or care for his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). According to IAVA, he was unable to receive personal counseling. And it took 18 months for VA to respond to his appeal of his PTSD rating. VA finally accorded Hunt a 100 percent rating for his PTSD five weeks after he took his own life.
Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC fights for veterans rights. We fight to make sure you get the benefits you deserve from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To learn more or contact a veterans lawyer, visit http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/ or call 800.693.4800
