Submitted by State Sen. Norm Needleman
(January 21, 2023) — It has been announced that starting this week, all U.S. military veterans experiencing suicidal crisis will be eligible for free care at any Veterans Administration or private facility. Veterans will not need to be enrolled in the VA system to be eligible for free emergency mental health care. The policy will include up to 30 days of inpatient or crisis residential care and up to 30 days of follow-up outpatient care.
The VA already provides emergency suicide care, but this new benefit ensures that veterans will not need to pay co-pays or fees for said care. The government will also cover costs for private medical care and ambulance rides to hospitals. This expansion will help to ease barriers to care that may prevent some veterans from seeking the aid they need.
