In its first year, VA's suicide hot line for veterans receives 55,000 calls

[LaStrega]

In its first year, VA's suicide hot line for veterans receives 55,000 calls

The latest: More than 22,000 veterans have sought help from a special suicide hot line in its first year, and 1,221 suicides have been averted, the government says.

The Veterans Affairs Department teamed up with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to launch the hot line last July after years of criticism that the VA wasn't doing enough to help soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The department has spent $2.9 million on the hot line thus far.

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[BlooInBloo]

1. Well we can't have that kind of bad press. Clearly we need to cancel the service.

[ladywnch]

3. no, they'll claim it's being underutilized and then cancel it.

55,000 is hardly worth it.....over 1200 lives saved.....over 2 million spent......the cost benefit ratio just isn't there.......

[Ilsa]

2. We can see how the escalation is working now. nt