Nevada has the sixth highest rate of veteran suicide in the nation. That’s why a group of Nevada lawmakers have presented Assembly Bill 294 this week to the Committee on Commerce and Labor, which would require primary care providers to receive training on suicide prevention.
Misty Vaughan Allen is with the Nevada Office of Suicide Prevention. She testified in support of the bill, noting that almost a quarter of all suicides in the state are committed by veterans. She says primary care providers don’t catch symptoms soon enough to prevent many veterans from committing suicide.
“Increased risk for suicide has been associated with injuries, chronic pain and disability among veterans. Three-quarters of U.S. veterans receive their healthcare from primary care providers outside of the VA, hence the importance of this bill,” Vaughan Allen said.
This bill requires primary care providers to complete training within two years after receiving their initial licensure. The course would include teaching providers to screen for signs of suicidal behaviors, and also to refer at-risk patients to intervention and treatment.