(Long Island, NY) Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, is proposing a legislative fix to ensure that veterans receive immediate assistance from a trained professional when they call the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL). This push follows the release of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General report that found that over 20 crisis calls to the Veterans Crisis Line operated by the VA in 2014 were transferred to a backup call center voicemail system and the calls were never returned.
The language, which would be included in the next VA funding bill, reads as follows, “The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the toll-free suicide hotline under section 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code – (1) provides to individuals who contact the hotline immediate assistance from a trained professional; and (2) adheres to all requirements of the American Assocation of Suicidology.” The American Association of Suicidology standards mandate that crisis center responders “be available to answer a dedicated phone number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” Currently a loophole allows for calls to be transferred to a backup center, which are allowed to place callers on hold and utilize voicemail. Including the Congressman’s proposed language in the next VA funding bill would close this loophole, requiring immediate assistance for any veteran who calls the VCL or a backup center.
Congressman Zeldin said, “A few weeks ago, there were disturbing reports released from the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) that found that a number of veterans who contacted the suicide hotline at the VA were not only sent to voicemail, but some of these calls were never returned. There is no reason that a struggling veteran who calls the suicide hotline should be sent to voicemail, especially since the VA receives tens of billions of dollars each year for veterans’ health. Every single veteran should receive immediate support from a trained VA responder when they call the VCL. This is a priority for me, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to include this language in the next VA funding bill.”
