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U.S. NEWS A5
Thursday 9 March 2017
VA expands mental health care for discharged veterans
HOPE YEN Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, left, watches as Sen. John McCain, R-Az., right away at VA emer-
Associated Press addresses a House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on veterans community care, on Capitol gency departments if they
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. urgently need it. The VA is
Department of Veterans also seeking to hire 1,000
Affairs will offer urgent (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) more mental health pro-
mental health care begin- viders and establish strong
ning this summer to thou- from the military, typically hubs to reach veterans
sands of former service for misconduct such as vio- with mental health assis-
members with less-than- lence or use of illegal drugs. tance by phone in rural
honorable discharges, part Currently, such discharges parts of the country.
of its expanded initiative to can prevent veterans from While details are being
stem stubbornly high rates receiving federal benefits. finalized, the VA said it
of suicide. Shulkin, who has called hopes to provide expand-
VA Secretary David Shulkin suicide prevention a top ed counseling services as
said Wednesday the ad- priority, said the VA also well at its Vet Centers and
ditional coverage was would begin to see the via its Veterans Crisis Line at
needed to help former former service members 800-273-8255.
service members who are According to the VA, as
more likely to have mental many as 500,000 former
health distress. He said the service members have
department couldn’t wait “other than honorable”
for legislation and needed discharges, although the
to act now, noting that the department believes a
vast majority of veterans smaller number at risk of
who took their lives had suicide will seek urgent
not been connected to VA treatment. q
care.
“This is a national emer-
gency that requires bold
action,” Shulkin said. “Far
too many veterans have
fallen victim to suicide,
roughly 20 every day.”
By June or July, the VA said
it will specifically provide
the mental health care
to those with “other than
honorable” discharges
Judge says Hawaii can proceed
with filing of travel ban lawsuit
JENNIFER KELLEHER filed their proposed revision
CALEB JONES in federal court along with
Associated Press a motion asking that it be
HONOLULU (AP) — A fed- allowed to proceed.
eral judge in Honolulu said Watson approved that mo-
Wednesday that Hawaii tion and said the state will
can proceed with the filing file the final lawsuit later
of what would be the first Wednesday. The Hawaii at-
lawsuit challenging Presi- torney general’s office did
dent Donald Trump’s re- not provide further details
vised travel ban. on when the lawsuit would
U.S. District Judge Derrick be filed.
Watson granted the state’s The U.S. Department of Jus-
request to continue with tice declined to comment
the case and set a hearing on the pending litigation.
for March 15 — the day be- At the March 15 hearing,
fore Trump’s revised ban is the judge will also hear
due to go into effect. arguments from the state
Hawaii officials previously on a motion to impose a
sued to stop Trump’s initial temporary restraining order
travel ban but that suit was that would prevent the ban
placed on hold by Wat- from taking place until the
son amid legal challenges lawsuit has been resolved.
around the country. The lawsuit says the revised
On Tuesday night, a day travel ban will harm the
after Trump’s administra- Muslim population of Ha-
tion announced its new waii as well as schools and
ban, attorneys for the state employers.q
