(Navy Times) Editorial: A better hot line option

[unhappycamper]

Editorial: A better hot line option

At a recent congressional hearing, Department of Veterans Affairs officials talked about how pleased they are with VA’s year-old suicide prevention hot line, which they credit with saving the lives of some 1,600 veterans.

Then they issued data that raise disturbing questions about how many lives may not have been saved.

The VA hot line piggybacks on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, (800) 273-TALK (8255), which is available to anyone in the nation who is having suicidal thoughts.

A prompt invites callers who are veterans to press 1, which routes their calls to a VA call center staffed by VA counselors.

~snip~

Of the nation’s 25 million veterans, 18 commit suicide every day, according to VA.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/community/opinion/navy_editorial_hotline_092908/