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Las Vegas , NV — Starting Jan. 17, Veterans in acute suicidal crisis will be able to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost – including inpatient or

crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days. NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEV. – Starting Jan. 17, Veterans in acute suicidal crisis will be able to go to any VA or

non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost – including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days. Veterans do not

need to be enrolled in the VA system to use this benefit. This expansion of care will help prevent Veteran suicide by guaranteeing no cost, world-class care to Veterans in times of crisis.

It will also increase access to acute suicide care for up to 9 million Veterans who are not currently enrolled in VA. Preventing Veteran suicide is VA’s top clinical priority and a top

priority of the Biden-Harris Administration. This effort is a key part of VA’s 10-year National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide and the Biden-Harris administration’s plan for 

Reducing Military and Veteran Suicide. In September, VA released the 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, which showed that Veteran suicides decreased in 2020 for the

second year in a row, and that fewer Veterans died by suicide in 2020 than in any year since 2006. “Veterans in suicidal crisis can now receive the free, world-class emergency health care

they deserve – no matter where they need it, when they need it, or whether they’re enrolled in VA care,” said VA Secretary for Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough. “This expansion of care will

save Veterans’ lives, and there’s nothing more important than that.”  The final policy, which takes effect on Jan. 17, will allow VA to: * Provide, pay for, or reimburse for treatment of

eligible individuals’ emergency suicide care, transportation costs, and follow-up care at a VA or non-VA facility for up to 30 days of inpatient care and 90 days of outpatient care. * Make

appropriate referrals for care following the period of emergency suicide care. * Determine eligibility for other VA services and benefits. * Refer eligible individuals for appropriate VA

programs and benefits following the period of emergency suicide care. Eligible individuals, regardless of VA enrollment status, are: * Veterans who were discharged or released from active

duty after more than 24 months of active service under conditions other than dishonorable. * Former members of the armed forces, including reserve service members, who served more than 100

days under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation either directly or by operating an unmanned aerial vehicle from another location who were discharged under conditions

other than dishonorable. * Former members of the armed forces who were the victim of a physical assault of a sexual nature, a battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment while serving

in the armed forces. Over the past year, VA has announced or continued several additional efforts to end Veteran suicide, including establishing 988 (then press 1) as a way for Veterans to

quickly connect with caring, qualified crisis support 24/7; proposing a new rule that would reduce or eliminate copayments for Veterans at risk of suicide; conducting an ongoing public

outreach effort on firearm suicide prevention and lethal means safety; and leveraging a national Veteran suicide prevention awareness campaign, "Don’t Wait. Reach Out.”  VA Southern

Nevada Healthcare System has also made Suicide Prevention its top clinical priority. All VASNHS sites of care provide same-day services for Veterans with urgent mental health needs during

regular business hours, as well as after-hours care in the Emergency Department at the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center. Access to same-day services doesn’t replace emergency care and

Veterans in crisis should call 911, visit the nearest emergency room, or contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 (Option 1) OR Text 838255; OR confidential chat: www.veteranscrisisline.net.