Last week the U.S. Senate passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) to designate June 10 as “Veterans Get Outside Day” to support veterans struggling with mental health issues.
“We owe it to the men and women who traveled oceans to protect us to address the veteran suicide crisis,” Cassidy said. “The Senate has taken a great step to ensure our veterans feel the support they deserve.”
Senate Resolution 206 specifically calls on veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges to walk, run, hike, bike ride, or just spend time outside on June 10, 2023 as part of an effort to battle mental illness, according to Sen. Cassidy’s office.
U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives, House Resolution 387.
“Veterans Get Outside Day encourages veterans to experience the outdoors and engage in recreational activities such as hiking, biking, fishing, and hunting, and ultimately promote a passion for the outdoors. Studies show that nature-based therapy can work,” Graves said.
Another goal of the day is to encourage follow-on therapy available through various non-profits that specialize in nature therapies, according to Cassidy’s office.
According to the resolution text, there were more than an estimated 16 suicides per day in 2020 within the veteran community.
“[T]he Department of Veterans Affairs has been successful in reducing the number of veterans’ suicides, but there are still gaps in mental health care for veterans, and the United States needs to use every treatment available to support the veteran community,” according to the text of the resolution. “[And] studies have found that individuals with increased access to green space have a lower suicide risk.”
The Senate resolution was cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Angus King (I-ME) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND). The House resolution was cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA).