In Veterans’ Affairs Hearing, Underwood Advocates for Expansion of VA’s Lethal Means Safety Training to Prevent Veteran Suicide

WASHINGTON – Today, in a House Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) questioned the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough on VA's priorities following the department's Fiscal Year 2023 budget request. In her questioning, Underwood advocated for lethal means safety trainings, an evidence-based strategy proven to prevent suicide, and asked Secretary McDonough to expand VA's lethal means safety training requirement so that VA employees, community care providers, and caregivers are prepared to have conversations that could save the life of a veteran in crisis.

"The budget notes that ‘reducing access to lethal means, including firearms, is one of [a] few universal suicide prevention strategies supported by evidence.' Based on this evidence, the Trump administration implemented a requirement for all VHA clinicians to complete VA's lethal means safety training – resulting in a completion rate of more than 90 percent. However, this training remains optional for all other VA employees, as well as community care providers and family caregivers, resulting in a completion rate of less than 1 percent," said Underwood.

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

Lethal means safety training is an evidence-based practicethat teaches health care professionals, other VA employees, and caregivers to have conversations with those at risk for suicide about voluntarily limiting access to objects that can be used to inflict self-directed violence. By creating needed time and space between a veteran at risk and a means for self-harm, lethal means safety training helps save veterans' lives. Due to this evidence, VA implemented mandatory lethal means safety training for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinicians.

Earlier this month, Underwood sent a letter to Secretary McDonough urging him to use his authority to expand VA's life-saving lethal means safety training requirement and increase training rates among VA employees, community care providers, and family caregivers. Last April, Underwood introducedthe Lethal Means Safety Training Act (H.R. 2749), which would direct VA to expand its evidence-based lethal means safety training to all VA employees regularly interacting with veterans, as well as community care providers and family caregivers.

Full text of the letter can be found here.

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