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Supporting Our Veterans’ Mental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a tremendous toll on the mental health of Iowans – including our veterans – which has led to a major surge in calls to suicide prevention hotlines and an uptick in the need for mental health services.
That’s why I’m supporting the bipartisan Suicide and Crisis Outreach Prevention Enhancement Act that will help increase the surge capacity of our nation’s suicide prevention lifeline and mental health crisis centers to ensure Iowans are able to access the support they need during these challenging times.
The bill would increase funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) program from $7.2 million to $20 million per year, and it would also provide greater flexibility for participants to raise awareness of the services they offer and to collect vital statistics.
The NSPL can be reached at 1-800-273-8255, which also provides call routing to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Veterans Crisis Line.
As a combat veteran, I understand the challenges our servicemembers face after returning home from the frontlines. That’s why I’m continuing to build on my efforts to ensure our veterans – and all Iowans faced with mental health challenges – have access to the resources they need to overcome these struggles.
For more updates on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and Iowa, be sure to ‘Like’ my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter @SenJoniErnst, and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Thank you!
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