The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today the allocation of $52.5 million in grants to community organizations as part of its ongoing efforts to prevent Veteran suicide. The funds will support tailored suicide prevention programs and services for Veterans and their families.
This fiscal year, the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program has awarded grants to 85 organizations across 41 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico for services in FY 2025. Additionally, eight previous grantees will continue their services into FY 2025. The VA prioritizes funding for organizations serving rural communities, Tribal lands, U.S. territories, medically underserved areas, regions with high numbers or percentages of minority or women Veterans, and areas with significant calls to the Veterans Crisis Line.
These grants are part of the VA’s National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide and align with the Biden-Harris Administration’s strategy to reduce military and Veteran suicides. Since 2021, the VA has expanded support for Veterans in crisis by offering no-cost emergency suicide prevention care and launching Dial 988 then Press 1 to streamline access to the Veterans Crisis Line.
“It takes all of us working together to prevent Veteran suicide,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “By working together with these organizations in the community, we’ll be able to save more lives and get one step closer to our goal of ensuring that no Veteran is ever alone in their time of need.”
In addition to awarding these grants, the VA has implemented several measures this fiscal year:
- Offering free emergency suicide prevention care at both VA and non-VA facilities for Veterans in acute suicidal crisis regardless of enrollment status. As of August 14, 2024, over 74,000 Veterans have received care through this policy.
- Streamlining access to the Veterans Crisis Line via Dial 988 then Press 1. Since its launch in July 2022, more than two million contacts have been fielded including over 1.6 million calls with an average speed-to-answer time of just over nine seconds.
- Conducting outreach through campaigns like "Don’t Wait. Reach Out." which encourages struggling Veterans to seek help and provides resources for common life challenges.
- Collaborating with local partners through initiatives such as the Governor’s Challenge which involves all states and five territories developing strategic action plans focused on suicide prevention.
- Supporting financially stressed Veterans by launching the National Veterans Financial Resource Center which offers a centralized website providing financial tools from over 25 government agencies.
- Enhancing data-informed actions by allocating $10 million towards better informing suicide prevention strategies through mortality review committees.
The latest National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report provided extensive analysis up until 2021; a new report is expected later this year.
Veterans in crisis or those concerned about one can contact the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential support available around-the-clock without needing enrollment in VA benefits or health care.
