Rep. John Velis
WESTFIELD – Representative John Velis has called on community and government partners to come together for the prevention of veteran suicide.
According to a New York Times article published last month by Jennifer Steinhauer, the rate of suicide among veterans nationwide has remained steadily higher than that of the general population, with an average of 20 veterans taking their own lives daily. Yet, while the mental health services provided by the Veterans’ Administration have been shown to greatly reduce suicide among patients, the vast majority of vets struggling with suicidal thoughts will never come in contact with the VA to receive these services.
“If 70 percent of veterans do not regularly use the VA, the department that is obviously in the best position to combat and is central to suicide prevention, then what can we do to reach veterans that are not seeking services from the VA?” asks Velis. “We all need to do a better job with veterans outreach – this task doesn’t fall exclusively to the VA. There needs to be a much larger and robust collaboration between the VA, state and local government, as well as the multitude of non-profit organizations that have been created to address this very problem. We need to get to the vets who aren’t seeking these services on their own.”
As a veteran himself, the Representative says that veterans’ services in the Commonwealth have always been a top priority for him, but that this issue, in particular, is an emergency that needs to be addressed immediately.
“I think there is a tendency to view this problem as the sole responsibility of the VA. If we continue to think this way the results will be the same; 20-22 veterans killing themselves every day. This is a national tragedy, as well as a national disgrace. When less than one half of one percent is stepping up and serving this country, and yet we still fail to reach those struggling with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, depression, and other mental illnesses in time to save their lives, then clearly something is broken, something is wrong,” continued Velis.
For now, the Rep says, his action plan is to continue to meet with representatives from the VA, local government, and community organizations, as well as stakeholders, to see where best state government can step in.
“There’s a lot of layers to this issue, all of which need more research and attention, but in the meantime, I think one of the things we can all do is to be there for our friends and neighbors who might be struggling and learn as much as we can ourselves about the contributing factors behind veteran suicide. There’s a huge tendency in military culture to refrain from asking for help, so learning to recognize warning signs and seeking intervention are key to helping loved ones,” finished Velis.
For those interested in learning more, Francisco Urena, Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services, will be co-hosting a community conversation with Rep Velis (as long as the legislature is not in session) at Westfield State next Wednesday, May 8th from 2-4 PM. More information can be found by calling 617-210-5767.
