Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced the Vet Center Outreach Act, bipartisan legislation to help connect newly separated veterans – who are often at the highest risk for suicide – with critical mental health support through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
“Leaving active duty can be a very challenging time for our service members, yet many of them do not know help is available during that transition or where they can receive it,” said Senator Cramer. “Our bill would help immediately connect veterans with personalized, available mental health services at a critical point in their return to civilian life.”
“It is imperative that we cut down on red tape and more quickly connect veterans to VA services, to make sure that they can get the care that they need, when they need,” said Senator Hassan. “I’m pleased to join Senator Cramer in introducing this bipartisan bill and look forward to continuing to work with New Hampshire’s veterans to support them.”
The bill aims to ensure the VA quickly connects new veterans with local VA Vet Centers that can provide tailored, professional counseling to help eligible veterans during their transition to civilian life.
“The American Legion is pleased to support the Vet Center Outreach Act,” said Chanin Nuntavong, Executive Director of Government Affairs for the American Legion. “Transitioning from active-duty service to civilian life can be a difficult time with its own set of unique challenges. By ensuring that local VA Vet Centers have the tools to reach out to newly separated veterans within seven days of separation, transitioning servicemembers will have more immediate access to the high-quality readjustment counseling they need and have earned. We applaud Senators Hassan and Cramer for introducing this commonsense legislation which will make VA’s efforts to support transitioning servicemembers more timely, efficient, and accessible.”