Starting Tuesday, all U.S. veterans can get free suicide care at any medical facility.

January 13 (UPI) — U.S. military veterans in a suicidal crisis can get free emergency care at any health facility starting Tuesday. They do not need to be registered with the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive free care.

Veteran suicide prevention is the top priority of the VA Priority, which supports the national goal of reducing the national veteran suicide rate by 20% by 2025.

Veterans in crisis can dial 988 and then press 1 to quickly get in touch with 24/7 support.

“Veterans in a suicidal crisis can now get the free, world-class emergency medical care they deserve, no matter where they need it, when they need it, or whether they are enrolled in the Veterans Assistance Program,” said the secretary. VA Denis McDonough. in a statement. “This expansion of aid will save the lives of veterans, and nothing is more important than that.”

According to the VA, these suicide prevention efforts are a key part of the 10-year National Strategy Veterans Suicide Prevention.

Any veteran will be able to access any VA or non-VA medical facility without registering with the VA system. They will receive up to 30 days of inpatient or emergency inpatient care and up to 90 days of outpatient care free of charge.

In September 2022, the Department of Veterans Affairs stated that the number of suicide deaths among veterans declined at the fastest rate in 14 years. For the second year in a row, veteran suicides have been on the decline.

According to the 2022 National Veterans Suicide Prevention Report, there were 307 fewer veteran suicides and 343 deaths in 2019 and 2020.

More than 6,146 veterans committed suicide by suicide in 2020, the report says. Since 2001, 6,000 or more veterans have committed suicide each year. The report states that an average of 20 veterans die by suicide each day.

If you or someone you know is suicidal, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 988.

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