Underwood’s Lethal Means Safety Training Act to Address Veteran Suicide Crisis Advances in House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

WASHINGTON— Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood's (IL-14) legislation to address the veteran suicide crisis advanced in the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The Lethal Means Safety Training Act (H.R. 8084) would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand its evidence-based lethal means safety training to VA staff and contractors who regularly interact with veterans. During the hearing, Underwood heard from Dr. Russell Lemle, VA-Community Care Workgroup Lead of the Association of VA Psychologist Leaders, and Dr. Joy Ilem, National Legislative Director of the Disabled American Veterans, who shared how the policies in Underwood's legislation enhance a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy and the importance of expanding lethal means training.

"The evidence supporting lethal means safety is clear: increasing safety measures specific to the availability and access of potential lethal means saves lives," said Underwood. "We owe it to our veterans to ensure that the men and women we entrust in caring for them are prepared to have these important, potentially life-saving conversations. I'm so proud that the Lethal Means Safety Training Act includes provisions supported by both VA and the White House, which have called for improving lethal means safety to address the veteran suicide crisis."

Full video of Underwood's opening remarks can be found here.

The Lethal Means Safety Training Act is supported by two dozen leading health care professionals and academics in the gun violence and suicide prevention space. The letter endorsing the legislation can be found here. Additionally, the legislation is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Association of VA Psychologist Leaders, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Minority Veterans of America, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs, The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, The American Mental Health Counselors Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Association of Suicidology, Walk the Talk America, and Brady United.

As a member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the Servicewomen and Women Veterans Congressional Caucus, and the Women Veterans Task Force, Underwood has worked to improve veterans' access to quality care and has worked to help ensure veterans receive the care they have earned. In May 2019, Underwood's bipartisan legislation to ensure high-quality mental health and suicide prevention care for veterans passed the US House of Representatives unanimously. The Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Acthelps ensure both the VA and outside providers are offering veterans high-quality mental health and suicide prevention services. In September, Underwood introduced the ACE Veterans Act and the Post-9/11 Veteran Suicide Prevention Counseling Act to improve access to quality care for veterans.