Today, I joined Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, and Director of the Domestic Council Cecilia Munoz for our Veterans and Military Family Mental Health Conference.
Mental health professionals, members of Veterans Service Organizations, Military Service Organizations, military family organizations, and representatives from the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs came together to discuss how we can better serve our veterans and military in regards to mental health.
The facts are sobering: Every day, we lose 22 veterans to suicide. Twenty two.
As long as that number is more than zero, we will do everything we can to support our troops, and our veterans who are suffering from a traumatic brain disorder, traumatic brain injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or any other affliction.
In homes and bases across the country, these men and women, who have so nobly served our country, may have felt that they were alone. And they leave behind grieving husbands, wives, children, and often parents, who wonder what else could have been done to prevent such a tragedy.
President Obama knows we can do more for these hurting individuals—that’s why he has made mental health for veterans one of his top priorities.
That’s also why we’ve poured resources into high-quality care, and better treatment for our troops.
