Luttrell co-leads legistration to enhance veteran suicide prevention efforts

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas 8, along with Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, Derrick Van Orden, R-Wisconsin, and Chris Deluzio, D-Pennsylvania, introduced the What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act, a crucial step toward improving the effectiveness of suicide prevention programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

With veteran suicide rates tragically high, this bill aims to strengthen data collection and transparency to ensure that life-saving resources are allocated to the most effective initiatives.

“Veteran suicide is a crisis we cannot afford to overlook, especially as the numbers continue to climb. As someone who served alongside many of these brave men and women, I am committed to ensuring we bring this number down and eventually to zero,” said Congressman Luttrell. “This bill will help us understand which programs are truly working, so we can maximize on those efforts and save lives.”

The What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act will:

• Establish clear, measurable objectives for VA suicide prevention pilot programs and grants before they begin;

• Develop comprehensive methodologies to guide the timing, frequency, and criteria for collecting and analyzing data;

• Require the VA to share program results and best practices with stakeholders, advocacy groups, and policymakers to ensure transparency and collaboration.