Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, the Chairwoman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, opened the Subcommittee’s oversight hearing on the success of the SSG Fox Grant Program in eliminating veteran suicide. In her remarks, she highlighted the urgency of addressing the issue, stating, “It is a sad reality that roughly 17 veterans, on average, are losing their lives to suicide every single day. One death alone from suicide is one too many.”
Miller-Meeks emphasized the ripple effect of each veteran suicide, affecting not only the individual but also their fellow veterans, families, and communities. She acknowledged that there are multiple factors contributing to veteran suicide and stressed the importance of exploring all potential solutions. Drawing from her own experience as a 24-year veteran, she recognized the unique challenges faced by servicemembers and veterans.
The Chairwoman underscored the significance of the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program in providing much-needed support to veterans and their families. She called for accessible assistance in local communities, stating, “It is imperative that we continue to work on solutions…to give veterans and their family members the support that they so desperately need and deserve.”
Highlighting the need to reach all veterans, Miller-Meeks shared concerning statistics: “Over 60% of Veterans who died by suicide in 2021 were not seen in VHA in 2020 or 2021, and over 50% had received neither VHA nor VBA services.” She emphasized the importance of expanding efforts beyond the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) to better serve veterans in the community.
Explaining the purpose of the Fox Grants, Miller-Meeks outlined their focus on veteran-based outreach, suicide prevention services, and connections to VA and additional community resources. She highlighted the impact of these grants, stating, “According to VA’s just released Annual Suicide Prevention report, through June 2023, grantee organizations reached more than 10,000 Veterans and families in need.” These organizations not only identified veterans at imminent risk but also provided referrals for non-emergency and social services to address underlying risk factors such as homelessness, employment, income support, and legal services.
Miller-Meeks expressed gratitude for the positive feedback received from grantees and acknowledged the importance of addressing any process challenges and capitalizing on potential opportunities for improvement. She commended the VA for their commitment to providing technical assistance to grantees and encouraged continued dialogue with the program office responsible for implementing the grant program.
In conclusion, the Chairwoman thanked the attendees and expressed her eagerness to hear perspectives from the witnesses on the effectiveness of the Fox Grant Program. She emphasized the ongoing struggle with a stubborn suicide rate among veterans and yielded the floor to Ranking Member Brownley for her opening statement.
To learn more, click on this link: https://veterans.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6337
