Congress Moves to Bolster VA’s Mental-Health Services

Bill Would Target Suicide Prevention, Aim to Woo More Psychiatrists

Sgt. Clay Hunt sought for more than a year to boost his disability coverage at the Department of Veterans Affairs as he pursued treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Marine lost several close friends in combat and was wounded by a sniper. After coming home to the U.S., eventually settling in Houston, he showed symptoms of depression and other mental-health troubles.

The VA finally approved Sgt. Hunt’s request and upgraded him to 100% disability coverage in 2011. But it was too late: The 28-year-old had committed suicide a few weeks before the VA, unaware of his death, boosted his coverage.

Congress is expected to pass legislation in the coming days named for Sgt. Hunt that is aimed at preventing veterans’ suicides.

The bill would expedite treatment for veterans suffering from mental-health issues, help to ensure that veterans have access to support as soon as they leave the service, and give the VA more resources to hire mental-health experts.

The bill, supported by veterans groups and VA Secretary Robert McDonald , could be one of the first pieces of legislation sent to President Barack Obama for his signature in 2015.

Key features of the measure—passed by the House earlier this month and scheduled to face a Senate vote soon—include peer support for veterans seeking mental-health care and a pilot program to help the VA recruit psychiatrists. The bill includes up to $30,000 a year in student debt forgiveness for psychiatrists who accept VA jobs. It also mandates an annual assessment of the department’s mental-health and suicide-prevention programs.

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