Veterans are dying by suicide at an alarming rate — one death every 85 minutes.
In an effort to address the staggering numbers, the Department of Veterans Affairs is announcing Thursday new funding to help local communities tailor their suicide prevention programs. The agency will be awarding $52 million in grants to 85 organizations across 41 states. It's all part of the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program.
Click here to see the full list of facilities that were awarded grants.
The Philadelphia-based veterans multi-service center was previously awarded a grant. Ethiel Sandoval, a peer support specialist with the organization, told Scripps News that the funding allows them to be there for veterans in need. She recalled a conversation with a veteran who she was able to help.
"One day I received a phone call from one of the clients — hopelessness, complete hopelessness," she said. "He was crying on the phone, and he's like, 'I've called everywhere like nobody's helping me,'" she said. "I've gone through like three different states, and I have not gotten none of the help, and I told him, I was like, 'just give me your address. Stay, like, I will be there in 30 minutes."
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Access to care has often been a barrier for veterans, especially for mental health.
In 2022, a government watchdog report found one in five large VA facilities have failed to have staffing of mental health providers available in primary care settings.
A month after that report was released, a different program to help address the issue was rolled out. It allowed eligible veterans and service members in acute suicidal crises to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for no cost.
According to new data released first to Scripps News, that program has provided care since its January 2023 launch to more than 74,000 veterans.
Dan Miller, a 30-year Marine Corp. veteran, realized he needed to seek mental health services before it was too late.
"I never really thought I would ever end up in that position," he told Scripps News.
"So, I was sitting there, and I had the gun to my head," he recalled.
"I was just tired," Miller said. "I was just so tired."
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Deployed to Desert Storm, two tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom, a police officer and a father, he made a split-second decision that saved his life.
"I asked for help," he said.
April Smith, a researcher and associate professor at Auburn University, acknowledged that it can be tough for veterans to seek help.
"There are certain cultural values that can be really helpful, perhaps, while on a mission, things like self-reliance, toughness, but then, when that comes to getting help for a mental health issue, that could be a bit problematic," she said.
The VA has been working to address and correct the issue.
For Miller, who shared with Scripps News that 18 of his fellow Marines have died by suicide, any additional resources are welcome.
He hopes sharing his story will help other veterans take that step forward toward the care that's now more available to them.
"I've traveled this whole country, and I've gone to places where there are veterans that don't necessarily have the ability to go to a VA," he said.
The push to provide more care for veterans comes amid a new budget fight on Capitol Hill. The VA is asking for $12 billion next year as it also faces a $3 billion shortfall this fiscal year.
If you or someone you know needs help, call, text, or chat 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Prevention Lifeline.
