How to Identify Suicide Risk and Help a Veteran in Need

A veteran commits suicide every 80 minutes, according to a study cited by the Huffington Post. In response to continually high rates of depression and suicide among veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs has announced expansions to its crisis line services.

The crisis line gives veterans (and the veteran's family and friends) confidential access to a concerned and qualified responder. These responders are professionals who have been trained to help veterans of all ages and circumstances who are in emotional distress. In its five years of operation, the Veteran's Crisis Line has helped more than half a million veterans. More than 18,000 life-saving rescues have resulted from use of its services.

There are three ways to contact the Veteran's Crisis Line:

1. Call the toll-free hot line at 1-800-273-8255. Press 1.
2. Send a text message to 838255.
3. Chat online.

All three of these services are available 24/7/365 to assist veterans and their friends and family.

Even if you don't think that you or your veteran are depressed or at risk of suicide, it is always wise to know the symptoms of depression and the signs of suicide risk. If you are or know a veteran who is showing ANY warning signs, you are strongly encouraged to contact the Veteran's Crisis Line immediately.

Signs of depression/suicide risk include:

• Chronic sadness and clinical depression
• Loss of interest in activities including hobbies, work, school, etc.
• Trouble sleeping and eating that doesn't go away or gets continually worse
• Anxiety
• Self-neglect
• Withdrawing from people and activities
• Sleeping all the time
• Frequent/dramatic mood swings
• Excessive guilt or shame, feelings of failure
• Hopelessness
• Acting like they have a "death wish" (engaging in risky or reckless behavior)
• Violent behavior and uncontrolled anger
• Giving away treasured possessions, making a will, putting affairs in order

If you are unsure if you or your veteran really needs help, the VA also offers a confidential self-check quiz that can help evaluate your condition.

Veteran suicide is a very serious issue and should never be taken lightly. Do not ignore the warning signs, because once suicide happens it's too late.

Chaplains Protect Veteran's Religious Freedoms

Veterans have access to hospital chaplains at VA medical facilities. Although many veterans may be unfamiliar with this service, chaplains exist to ensure that all veterans have access to 'clinical pastoral care' and that inpatient veterans have their right to free exercise of religion protected. The chaplains also ensure that the veterans do not have religion imposed on them.

Chaplains are available every hour of every day in every VA medical center. They can help you contact members of your local clergy. They can also help you find the chapel or meditation room in the medical center or provide you with spiritual/religious literature at your request.

Every veteran has the choice to see a chaplain or not. Inpatients at a VA medical facility are usually visited by a chaplain during their stay, but these visits can be avoided if the veteran indicates that they do not want one.

You can learn about the history of VA chaplains, as well as find your local chaplain, on the VA National Chaplain Center Home.

Non-VA Emergency Care Rule Change

This month, the VA announced a change in the emergency payment procedures for eligible veterans who recieve treatment in non-VA facilities. Although the VA currently operates 121 emergency departments and 46 urgent care units across the country, not all veterans are able to go directly to a VA emergency facilty.

Until this change, non-VA emergency room visits could be costly to veterans. The rules about VA reimbursement were very unclear. Now, eligible veterans will be able to be reimbursed for care provided at non-VA facilities until the veteran can be safely transferred to a VA facility.

The new rules will benefit more than 100,000 veterans and will cost approximately $44 million per year.

Caregiver Programs: Helping Those Who Help Veterans

Good morning!
Discovering the VA’s Caregiver Program was an immeasurable blessing to my family. My husband’s disabilities render him incapable of working, leaving me to take care of him… and our four young children… and keep the house clean… and the yard manicured… and the bills paid (which required me to work full-time hours). In addition to this, I was supposed to somehow also take care of myself. Yeah, right! It didn't work.

Thankfully, the VA recognizes that taking care of disabled veterans is hard work!

This amazing program, which launched in May 2011, provides health care, a monthly stipend (payment), mental health services, counseling, and caregiver training for eligible family caregivers of eligible veterans. The caregiver is also given access to respite care services, which allow the caregiver to place the veteran in the VA's care where round-the-clock caregiving services will be provided for free. Respite care is granted for a certain number of days per year, which cannot be exceeded but does not have to be used, either.

To qualify, veterans must have sustained a serious injury (including brain injury, psychological trauma or mental disorders) that were incurred or aggravated in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001. These veterans must also require personal care services because their injury renders them inable to perform one or more activities of daily living or causes symptoms/impairments that require the veteran to have supervision and protection. Veterans must also be enrolled in VA health services.

Determine your eligibility using the VA's online questionnaire tool at
 http://www.caregiver.va.gov/. You may also call the Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.
Eligible veterans can designate one primary Family Caregiver and two secondary Family Caregivers, but only one stipend amount will be issued. The amount can be divided among the Caregivers. The stipend amount varies depending on your location and the amount of assistance that the veteran requires.

If you believe you may be eligible for these benefits, I strongly urge you to apply. They can change your life. For Caregivers who sometimes have to do everything themselves, the Caregiver Program is a sanity saver.

For more information, please visit http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/caregiver/. The application can then be downloaded, printed, filled out and mailed. Once the application is filed and processed, a Caregiver Support Coordinator will call. The veteran will participate in a phone interview or in-person examination where the veteran's needs will be assessed. If the veteran appears to be eligible, the Caregiver will need to complete a training program organized by the Easter Seals. This training program can be completed online, in a class, or with a DVD and workbook. When the course is completed, a test will be administered. When the test is passed, an in-home visit with a nurse will be required. The nurse comes to the house to evaluate the veteran and the safety of the home. The nurse will make recommendations to the VA's Occupational Therapy department about modifications that can be made to assist the veteran. When the nurse's report is complete, the application will be processed and approved, if appropriate. Shortly after the approval, a check for the stipend will be issued that back pays to the date of your original application. Health care and other benefit information will also be provided.