Suicide in the military still not understood

H.R.327 - Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans.
Other Bill Titles
Official: To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans. as amended by house.
Official: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans. as introduced.
Short: Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act as enacted.
Short: Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act as passed senate.
Short: Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act as passed house.
Short: Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act as reported to house.
Short: Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act as introduced.
11/5/2007--Public Law. (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on September 27, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) suicide among veterans suffering from p more...ost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious problem; and (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in developing and implementing the comprehensive program outlined in this Act, should take into consideration the special needs of such veterans and of elderly veterans who are at high risk for depression and experience high rates of suicide. Directs the Secretary to develop and carry out a comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans. Requires the program to include: (1) mandatory training for appropriate staff and contractors of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who interact with veterans; (2) mental health assessments of veterans; (3) designation of a suicide prevention counselor at each Department medical facility; (4) research on best practices for suicide prevention; (5) mental health care for veterans who have experienced sexual trauma while in military service; (6) 24-hour veterans' mental health care availability; (7) a toll-free hotline; and (8) outreach and education for veterans and their families. Authorizes the Secretary to develop and carry a peer support counseling program as part of such program. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the program.
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Date Chamber Question Aye Nay Result
October 23, 2007 House Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Senate Amendment: H R 327 Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act 417 0 Passed Details
March 21, 2007 House On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended: H R 327 Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h327/show



A bill to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans.
OpenCongress Summary:
This bill, also known as the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, would establish a program for suicide prevention among veterans. The program would include a national educational campaign, special training for government employees who deal with veterans, a peer support program, a telephone hotline, and counciling and treatment for veterans.
Other Bill Titles
Official: A bill to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans. as introduced.
Short: Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act as reported to senate.
Short: Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act as introduced.
7/23/2007--Reported to Senate without amendment. (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) suicide among veteran more...s suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious problem; and (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should take into consideration the special needs of veterans suffering from PTSD in developing and implementing the program required under this Act. Directs the Secretary to develop and implement a comprehensive program for reducing the incidence of suicide among veterans. Requires the program to include: (1) a national mental health campaign to increase mental health awareness in the veteran community; (2) mandatory training on suicide and suicide prevention for appropriate Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees and contractor personnel; (3) family education and peer support counseling; (4) veterans' health assessments, counseling, and treatment programs; (5) suicide prevention counselors; (6) research on suicide prevention; (7) treatment programs for veterans suffering from substance abuse; (8) 24-hour veterans' mental health care availability; and (9) a toll-free hotline. Requires a report from the Secretary to Congress on VA programs and activities to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans.
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All Bill Actions
Sep 05, 2007: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11097-11101)
Added to calendar on Jul 23, 2007: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 279..
Jul 23, 2007: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Akaka without amendment. With written report No. 110-132.
Jun 27, 2007: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Apr 25, 2007: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
Feb 01, 2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Feb 01, 2007: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1529-1530)
Introduced on Feb 01, 2007.
Feb 01, 2007: Introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1529-1530)
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-s479/show

Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Bush Signs Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Bill into Law
With the stroke of a pen President George W. Bush signed the Joshua Omvig bill into law, ending a drawn-out political chapter that overcame a procedural hold in the Senate. The bill was introduced in the House by Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, who named the bill after one of his constituents, Joshua Omvig of Grundy Center. Omvig committed suicide in Dec. 2005 after returning from an 11-month deployment in Iraq.



.......The bipartisan bill unanimously passed in the House March 21 by a vote of 427-0 before moving on to the Senate where it hit a procedural snag. Led by Harkin the bill was expected to overwhelmingly pass before going into the August recess until it hit a road bump. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. put the bill on hold, citing duplication and second amendment concerns that Harkin called (stronger verb) "bogus." Undeterred, Harkin kept fighting for the bill's passage and solicited fellow Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to help persuade Coburn to lift the hold. The bipartisan effort paid off and the bill cleared the Senate hurdle Sept. 27.
http://iowavetsblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/bush-signs-joshua-omvig-veterans.html

Defense Department Briefing on the U.S. Army & Mental Health
U.S. Army human resource officials and mental health experts conduct a news conference with information on the "human dimensions" of war-time activities affecting U.S. Army soldiers and their families. They discuss stress, PTSD, the chain-teaching education program, accidental prevention, suicide prevention and other topics and trends involving the Army.8/16/2007:
WASHINGTON, DC: 55 min.

All of this and they still need to hold hearings.
House Hearing on Veterans Mental Health Care (12/12/2007)