U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) joined fellow members of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in requesting expanded telemental health services via expanded broadband access for America’s military veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, many veterans who are at increased risk of suicide lack reliable and cost-efficient access to fixed broadband and mobile connectivity services to receive such expanded telemental health services, wrote Sen. Moran, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Sen. Rounds, and their colleagues in a recent letter sent to U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Robert Wilkie.
“The COVID-19 public health pandemic has forced veterans and all Americans into social isolation in an effort to slow the spread of the virus,” wrote the senators and their colleagues. “While this is the appropriate public health course of action to quell an infectious disease, this isolation will lead to unintended mental health consequences and perhaps a higher number of suicides during this time.”
U.S. veterans at an increased risk of suicide right now include those with underlying mental health conditions, those living alone, those concerned about employment and their finances, and those with a history of self-medication using alcohol and drugs, the senators wrote.
“Additionally, veterans who live in rural areas, medically underserved and unserved parts of the U.S. may also be at increased risk, and are also in need of these enhanced mental health services,” they wrote.
The lawmakers pointed to a provision included in the newly signed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to expand telemental health services to veterans during the pandemic by permitting the VA to form agreements with telecommunications companies to bolster access to high-speed broadband services.
“This authority is intended to give VA all the tools necessary to provide mental health services to veterans, who may be at increased risk of suicide due to the social isolation caused by COVID-19, through telehealth and VA Video Connect,” according to their letter. “Further, this temporary authority allows the department to expand coverage of these services to veterans previously ineligible.”
Joining Sens. Moran and Rounds in signing the letter were eight other senators, including U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Jon Tester (D-MT).