John Plahovinsak
On April 17, 2025, Congressmen Greg Landsman introduced the What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act for the 119th Congressional Session. Cosponsoring this bipartisan legislation were Congressmen Morgan Luttrell, Derrick Van Orden and Chris Deluzio.
This legislation was previously introduced during the 118th Congressional Session, by Congressman Landsman as H.R. 9924. Although it had eleven (11) cosponsors, including Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown, it was never brought up for a vote in Congress.
There are three (3) main components to this Act. First, it will establish clear, measurable objectives for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) suicide prevention pilot programs and grants before they begin.
Second, it will develop comprehensive methodologies to guide the timing, frequency, and criteria for collecting and analyzing data.
Third, it will require the VA to share program results and best practices with stakeholders, advocacy groups, and policymakers to ensure transparency and collaboration.
The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SPGP) enabled the VA to provide resources toward community-based suicide prevention efforts to meet the needs of veterans and their families through outreach, suicide prevention services, and connection to VA and community resources.
Congress has authorized $174 million to be appropriated to carry out the SSG Fox SPGP Act, a three-year community-based grant program that provides resources to community organizations serving certain Veterans and their families across the country.
Organizations can apply for grants worth up to $750,000 and may apply to renew awards from year to year throughout the length of the program. In Fiscal Year 2024, there were ninety-one (91) grants issued to organizations to provide resources for suicide prevention efforts.
During Fiscal Year 2024, the VA has issued only one SSG Fox SPGP grant to a State of Ohio Program – the Community Action Program Corporation of Washington-Morgan Counties, Ohio.
The grant for this Ohio Program was for: “Outreach, Education, Case Management, Coordinating VA Benefits and Federal Government Benefits Assistance, Legal Services, Personal Financial Planning and Counseling Assistance, Transportation Services Assistance, Child Care Assistance, Income Support Services, and General Suicide Prevention Assistance.”
The VA’s webpage for the SSG Fox SPGP Act indicated that the Program “assists in further implementing a public health approach that blends community-based partnerships and prevention plans with evidence-based clinical strategies.”
The What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act establishes “clear and measurable objectives” before the grants are awarded. The Act will require the VA to share the best practices of veteran suicide prevention with advocacy groups.
Although the SSG Fox SPGP has received funding for Fiscal Years 2021 to 2025 (allocating $174 million in grants), the VA has not released the “best practices of veteran suicide prevention” that they have identified for dissemination and replication to other advocacy groups.
The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Deputy National Legislative Director for Health Jon Retzer stated,“to save lives, the VA needs accurate data on the most effective prevention and mental health programs.” He continued, this Act “sets clear goals, evaluates programs honestly, and uses comprehensive data to make smarter, life-saving decisions.”
“Reintroducing this bill is about accountability and results,” commented Congressman Morgan Luttrell. “We need to know which programs are actually saving lives so that we can invest in what works and get our veterans the support they deserve.”
Congressman Derrick Von Orden noted, “This bill ensures that the VA is focused on proven, effective programs to combat veteran suicides.”
My Opinion: I agree that the What Works for Preventing Veteran Suicide Act should be passed for several reasons. The primary reason was stated by Congressman Landsman and Von Orden in their reintroduction of this bill in Congress.
“If we focus the VA’s resources on the most effective programs, we can make a significant impact in reducing these heartbreaking and entirely unaccepted rates of suicide,” stated Landsman. And the focus “on proven, effective programs,’ according to Von Orden.
By the end of Fiscal Year 2025, the VA will have spent $174 million dollars of SSG Fox SPGP Grants on over ninety (90) programs for the prevention of veteran suicide programs.
However, there is one (1) program, the Save-A-Warrior Program (in Hillsboro, Ohio), that has a verifiable ninety-nine (99.5 percent) success rate in preventing veteran suicides. They are not listed as a recipient for SSG Fox SPGP Act funds.
The passage of What Works for Preventing Veterans Suicide Act would allow the VA and Congress to use all of the tested, proven and effective tactics available to take on the suicide crisis facing our veterans. Let’s use our tax dollars wisely as we address this critical issue!
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired Army veteran who served from 1967 to 1999. He is the current Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio’s Hospital Chairman and Adjutant of DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). He can be reached at: [email protected].
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