Member-only story
Veterans Crisis Lines: Anyone Concerned About Preventing Suicide in Veterans Should Be Angry
The Veterans Crisis Line is Failing American Vets, a Scathing Federal Audit Concludes
The Veterans Hospital Administration (VHA) tells the American public that preventing suicide among veterans is its highest priority. Some of us know the real reason why this keeps being said. Audits by the Office of Inspector General keep finding the VHA is falling short in serving vets and Congress keeps insisting that it do better.
Reports are sent to Congress, which rebukes the VHA’s top administrators. Congress will then give the VHA more money but require the administration to promise to improve the treatment of veterans.
When the VHA gets more money under these conditions, more audits by the Office of Audits and Evaluations are required, like the one discussed in this article.
What are suicide prevention coordinators supposed to accomplish?
Most basically, suicide prevention coordinators are supposed to prevent vets from dying by suicide, There are different job descriptions for different roles but all fall under this general description of duties.
To serve the needs of…