WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — According to the Department of Veterans Affairs' 2019 National Veteran Suicide Annual Report, it happens approximately 20 times per day, 6,139 times overall in 2017.
The report said the suicide rate was 1.5 times greater for Veterans than for non-Veteran adults.
"Almost as many veterans die by suicide each day in this country than died in combat casualties or accidents in Afghanistan over the course of last year," said Rep. Mark Takano (D-California), the committee's chairman, at Wednesday's hearing on veterans in crisis.
Particularly, the panel was focused upon the six veterans, not in the V.A. system who take their own lives every day.
Lawmakers heard testimony about a report from the Department of Veterans Office of Inspector General, which found that suicide prevention strategies are not being applied consistently across the V.A.'s more than 150 facilities.
Takano asked: "Why do facilities continue to struggle with adherence to the environment of care and care coordination policies?"
The V.A.'s Office of Inspector General's Julie Kroviak responded: "Most of the reason stem from staffing shortages, inconsistent training and ultimately, leadership failures at the local level."
Kroviak said there were also breakdowns in staff communications.
"Such gaps in communications and care coordination weaken effective management and discharge planning and ultimately put patients at risk for serious complications and potentially devastating outcomes."
Meanwhile, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee today unanimously passed a bill from Virginia Senator Mark Warner that would allow veterans at-risk of suicide to receive needed mental health services and support.