WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – In response to new federal data on veteran suicides, Senator John Velis is calling for expanded outreach to connect veterans with VA health care and mental health services.
The latest report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found that 6,488 veterans died by suicide in 2024, an average of nearly 18 deaths per day. According to the report, 62% of those veterans were not receiving VA health care in the year they died or the year before.
State Sen. John Velis, a Westfield Democrat who serves as Senate chairman of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Veterans & Federal Affairs, emphasized the urgency of expanding outreach to veterans.
“If nearly two-thirds of veterans who died by suicide were not receiving VA health care, then we need to be asking ourselves what more we can do to make sure every veteran knows what resources are available to them and how to access them,” Velis said.
The report found the suicide rate among veterans enrolled in VA health care decreased 4.8% from 2023 to 2024, while the rate among veterans not enrolled in VA care increased by 3.7%.
Velis pointed to Massachusetts’ 2022 SPEED Act as a potential model for future outreach efforts. The law requires state agencies to proactively contact service members exposed to burn pits and other toxic hazards and provide information about health resources and benefits.
The senator said he plans to explore whether a similar approach could help identify veterans who are not connected to the VA system and provide them with information about mental health services and other support programs. He said he intends to work with veterans’ organizations, Veterans Service Officers, state agencies and mental health providers to develop possible legislative solutions ahead of the next session.
“We cannot wait for a veteran to be in crisis before we start asking whether they are connected to the care they have earned,” Velis said.
Veterans experiencing a mental health crisis can call or text the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1, or by texting 838255 for confidential support.