Our “Why?”

Veteran Mental Health

Suicide is happening at an alarming rate.

Shockingly, we as a nation are now in our 21st  consecutive year with 6,000 or more veteran suicides. We have lost far more veterans to suicide over the past 21 years than service members killed in action in the Vietnam War (58,220), Wars on Terror in Iraq (4,492) and Afghanistan (1,922) combined.
 
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in veterans under age 45.

Seventeen Veterans each and every day take their own life; twice as high as that of the civilian suicide rate. America’s Warrior Partnership, in a joint study with the University of Alabama and Duke University, report that if drug overdoses and single-car crashes among veterans were
counted in the suicide rate, rather than as an accidental death, the number of veteran suicides would push to 44 Veterans a day.

VA can’t be the only answer.

The VA has attempted higher level treatment through the creation of PTSD/SUD specialist positions and funding of research aimed at identifying evidence-based PTSD/SUD treatment. However, services are often underutilized with only about 10% of SUD positive veterans receiving any type of treatment in the past year.

Amazing private facilities with fantastic history of treating vets that they cannot access.

Evidence-based treatment centers provide some of the most effective care of individuals battling severe substance use disorders. These centers offer individualized care, evidence-based therapies, and specialized programs for individuals with complex histories, such as veterans with PTSD, depression, anxiety, etc.

We stand in the gap to make these facilities available to vets who can’t afford it.

The current veteran suicide crisis is multifaceted with substance use disorder being a major driver of both mental health deterioration and premature death. While there are efforts within the VA to address this issue, many veterans remain underserved by the existing programs. High-end treatment centers provide a unique and effective solution
by offering individualized care, specialized trauma-informed treatments, and better long-term outcomes for veterans. By funding veterans’ access to these top-tier facilities, our nonprofit aims to bridge the gap in care, reduce veteran suicide rates, and provide life-saving treatment for those who have served our country. We will accomplish this by underwriting treatment services at high=quality, evidence-based centers that specialize in veteran care.