$40M secured for military suicide prevention efforts

E. Brunswick’s Linda Bean says services must be immediately accessible, 24 hours a day

BY CHRIS ZAWISTOWSKI
Staff Writer

The figure, Rep. Rush Holt said, is stunning: Eighteen veterans commit suicide each day.

“That’s a daily average that is intolerable,” he said. “We can’t let that continue.”

And now, after years of advocacy and the work and support of East Brunswick residents Linda and Greg Bean, whose son died by suicide after serving two tours in Iraq, Holt (D-12th District) announced he has secured funding that just might help to turn these tragic figures around. Holt announced during a teleconference on Monday that $40 million will be allocated in the final 2012 federal budget to support military suicide prevention.

“These funds will help to convey a critical message to America’s soldiers and veterans: You are not alone,” Holt said. “If you have suffered such trauma in service to this country that you are considering suicide, America stands ready to help you.”

Holt said that the funding — which will be split equally between the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs — will be used to enhance current suicide prevention programs, create new ones, and work to publicize these services for the soldiers and veterans who need them. Both Holt and Linda Bean said this final part is key. Before her son died in September 2008, Linda said, she had no idea what soldiers and veterans faced when they were looking for help.

U.S. Army Sgt. Coleman Bean suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after his first tour of duty, but he had limited access to veterans’ services as a member of the U.S. Army’s Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and was called back to duty without receiving treatment. After returning home from his second tour, Coleman took his life on Sept. 6, 2008, at age 25. Linda Bean said it is imperative that soldiers, veterans and their families are made aware of the suicide prevention services available through the military departments and government programs.

“Information that isn’t shared doesn’t have much value,” she said.

Holt agreed, noting that while there are some very good programs available for soldiers and veterans who might be at risk of suicide, publicity about them has been slow. The service members must seek these programs out themselves, which Holt said is a “dangerous situation.”

“We have to find them where they are,” he said. “We can’t wait for them.”

Linda Bean stressed the need for aroundthe clock, easy-to-access support for service members. She said troops return home to communities and families who honor and respect them, but still may be ill equipped to deal with their injuries — whether visible or invisible. The V.A. or military facilities may be far away, and a veteran may not have his or her employer’s support to take days off for appointments, she said.

“Services have to be immediately accessible, and they need to be accessible 24 hours a day, wherever that person is,” she said.

One such service that can help, Holt said, is Vets4Warriors. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 1-855-VETTALK (1-855-838-8255), the program provides veterans and service members a help line where they can find assistance with everyday life issues, as well as serious mental health issues, from another veteran. Originally established in New Jersey by UMDNJ in 2005, the program launched nationwide earlier this month with support from Holt, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and military leaders.

Bean said she is tremendously pleased with the funding and for Holt’s perseverance in working to secure it.

“We put this one in the win column,” she said. “But everyone is going to be watching to make sure that it does what it was designed to achieve.”

Holt said that he will continue to fight for military suicide prevention, noting that the funding was only secured through 2012. But he said he is happy with the victory and the unseen blessing for some families who may not even know that a loved one is battling thoughts of suicide.

“It’s an enormous increase in attention that will be paid to suicide prevention among active duty, reserve and veteran soldiers,” Holt said. “If because of these funds, services are connected with the soldier and with the veteran, they might be here next Christmas and the Christmas after that.”

Contact Chris Zawistowski at [email protected].