U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order in favor of the veterans who have transitioned from military to civilian life. The executive order that was signed in the Oval Office at the White House on January 9, 2018, in Washington, DC will work to help prevent veteran suicide by improving their mental health.
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin said that the executive order has been designed to curb the current number of veteran suicides by offering them improved mental health treatment. This treatment will be only offered to the high-risk group.
The executive order signed by Trump on Tuesday directed the homeland security, secretaries of defense, and Veterans Affairs to formulate a plan of action to deliver “seamless” access to suicide prevention and mental health resources for 12 months for veterans leaving the armed forces.
Before signing the order in the Oval office, Trump said, “We want them to get the highest care and the care that they so richly deserve.”
“It’s something that is a top priority,” he added.
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin revealed that an unacceptable number of 20 veterans commit suicide daily in the US. This means that in a month more than 600 veterans end their own lives due to multiple reasons. The US government is of the opinion that providing them with the right mental health facilities will help in reducing this number and save the lives of brave people who have fought for their country.
Shulkin further revealed that the highest risk period for former service members lies in the first year after returning to civilian life. Experts believe that if clinics are provided with EMR Software that is intelligent and well organized to help physicians in keeping a track of their patients’ mental health, the number of veteran suicides can greatly decrease.
