Paper 2 - Analyzing and Recommending Policy Changes

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Feb 20, 2024

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POLICY ANALYSIS 1 Analyzing and Recommending Policy Changes Briana Nelsen SWK5006: Social Policy and Planning in Human Services School of Public Service and Education, Capella University Dr Kelli Barnes August 20, 2023

POLICY ANALYSIS 2 Analyzing and Recommending Policy Changes Suicide rates among transitioning veterans have become a serious problem in the United States. Although there are many reasons as to the reasoning behind this, the number one reason that stood out was the fact our veterans were not getting enough help transitioning from active duty to civilian life. That is why the John Scott Hannon Act of 2019 was created so that our veterans had the resources available to make the transition. The Act has an overall goal of reducing the number of veteran deaths by suicide and improving the quality of life of those veterans when transitioning from active duty to civilian life as well as researching resources that are in place already and how they can be improved on by looking at past suicides and current services. In this policy analysis, the Hannon Act will be looked at from different angles, including how the policy is implemented, how effective it has been and possible recommendations on how to better implement the policy for veterans. Most suicides are seen to happen mostly within the first year after discharging from active duty. With the creation and passing of this Act, several programs through the Department of Labor and Veterans Affairs have been implemented so that veterans can start the process of transition while they are still in active service. Not only do these programs help make the transition smoother, but they also aim to set veterans up for success financially, educationally, and socio-economically. The Act was broken up into 5 different areas. These areas include “additional transitional support, increased access to mental health care, suicide prevention, strengthening the VA’s workforce, oversight of mental health and suicide prevention services, investment and furthering study into understanding treatments both alternative and complementary procedures for mental health”, (Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (P.L116-171) and Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020 (P.L

POLICY ANALYSIS 3 116-214), 2021). While diving deeper into this policy, this analysis will look more into aspects of the transitioning assistances in further detail. For veterans that are discharged, within a year after that separation date, they are meant to be reached out to by a Veterans Affairs (VA) representative. This is so that they can begin their modules on transitioning and what it could look like. This is done via the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) which is also partnered with the Department of Labor. Essentially, veterans begin an online or in person, depending on their location, modules that introduces them to the different environment that they once knew before enlisting. There are several different resources that help them look for employment, housing, any kind of financial assistance needed. Due to the understaffing and overwhelming number of veterans that discharge from active duty every day, there are other organizations that the VA help veterans get into. Employment Fundamentals of Career Transition (EFCT) which assists in finding employment; Wounded Warrior and Caregiver Employment Workshop (WWEW) which assists in finding employment for veterans and/or their caregivers with life altering injuries sustained in the line of duty; Department of Labor Employment Workshop (DOLEW) that consists of a 2 to 3 day program that teachers how to create a resume, network and to look for employment; Career and Credential Exploration (C2E) allows for further education via apprenticeship, certifications or becoming licensed in a trade, (Transition Assistance Program (TAP), 2023). The National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report published in September of 2022 provided findings that showed from in 2019 after the Act was passed into law, the number of suicides decreased from 6,300 to 6,146 showing a decrease in just a year time period, (US Department of Veterans Affairs, 2021).

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POLICY ANALYSIS 4 According to the Commander John Scott Hannon Act of 2019 and Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020, “it is requiring the VA to develop and make public a strategic plan of VA healthcare to any veteran in the one year period following discharge; to review records of former service members who have died by suicide within the one year period; submit and develop reports using viable information on relevant suicide prevention programs”, (Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (P.L116-171) and Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020 (P.L 116-214), 2021). This is because many of those veteran suicides happen within the first year after leaving the military and are not being given enough resources in an acceptable amount of time ends, therefore it ends up being too stressful. Once A Soldier published an article that stated “less than 50% of veterans receive mental health support of any kind. One cause of this is mental health services for veterans being severely underfunded and understaffed”, (Why Veterans Are Reluctant to Get Mental Help, 2021). This program is one of the many programs that was created under the John Scott Hannon Act of 2019 to help bridge the gap for veterans who need help and to help further decrease the number of veterans who commit suicide. To sum up, veterans struggle to find the balance of how to be a civilian without commanding officers or other people telling them what to do and when to do it. Research has shown within the first year after separation, veterans struggle the most which as a result lead them to commit suicide. Reasons vary from mental health illness, inability to find housing or employment and1 struggling to adjust overall from military life to civilian life. It was made to look at all aspects of transitional resources, how, why, and where funds are going and whether they are being effective towards veterans.

POLICY ANALYSIS 5 References Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (P.L116- 171) and Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020 (P.L 116-214). (2021, July 19). Retrieved from Congressional Research Service : https://www.everycrsreport.com/files/2021-07- 19_R46848_85f4c0d3813f8e700b3e53b63a642b194938b00f.pdf Transition Assistance Program (TAP). (2023). Retrieved from Department of Labor: Veterans' Employment and Training Service: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/tap US Department of Veterans Affairs. (2021). 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. Once A Soldier. NA: NA. Retrieved from https://www.onceasoldier.org/wp- content/uploads/2021/09/2021-National-Veteran-Suicide-Prevention-Annual-Report- FINAL-9-8-21.pdf Veterans' Affairs. (2022). National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. NA: VA Suicide Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/2022/2022-National-Veteran-Suicide- Prevention-Annual-Report-FINAL-508.pdf Why Veterans Are Reluctant to Get Mental Help . (2021, November 13). Retrieved from Once A Soldier: https://www.onceasoldier.org/why-veterans-are-reluctant-to-get-mental-help/? gclid=Cj0KCQjwj7CZBhDHARIsAPPWv3dKD2lNWek3ZvCAAruuUsuLPQJGV4BHI M

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