CHESAPEAKE, Va. — As has been well documented, the veterans' mental health crisis in America continues.
In 2019, the most recent year for which statistics are available, more than 6,200 vets took their own lives.
Now, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare and Dominion Energy are teaming up to lend a hand.
On Thursday, Dominion Energy presented the Chesapeake Regional Health Foundation a check for $150,000.
"We invest in veterans because veterans invest in us," said Bill Murray, Dominion Sr. Vice President for Corporate Affairs. "They're a core of our workforce. They're a core of our communities. And we could not be more pleased to support an initiative like this that meets the most acute needs."
The grant will be the lead gift for enhanced behavioral outpatient therapy programs and improvements to the emergency room at the hospital and should go a long way towards caring for the 120,000 military veterans who live on the Southside of Hampton Roads.
"I think it's awesome they're opening more access to servicemembers and veterans," said Navy veteran Jerry Ralston. "So, I think you know, mental health being the focus of this presentation today is huge, to get more help to service members and veterans."
The Biden administration's FY 2023 budget proposal for the Department of Veterans Affairs includes $13.9 billion to improve veterans' mental health care services and $497 million to support veteran suicide prevention initiatives.
Still, the federal government alone can't solve the problem.
Chesapeake Regional Healthcare's President and CEO said a private donation like this is "extraordinary."
Reese Jackson added: "It really is amazing. Anytime anyone gives us a gift, it really is special. But a gift of this magnitude, with this audience here, where we all have a kind of common bond together, it's really special."
And there's more good news. The long-awaited Department of Veterans Affairs Community-based Outpatient Clinic for South Hampton Roads is coming in Fall 2024.
The 196,000-square-foot clinic will be located on a 25-acre site, right next door to the Chesapeake Regional Medical Center campus on Battlefield Boulevard.