Trump Signs Executive Order to
Aid in Veteran Suicide Prevention The initiative is called the “President’s Roadmap
to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy
on Suicide (PREVENTS Initiative).” Between 2008 and 2017 more than
54,000 veterans committed suicide. A task force led by VA Secretary
Robert Wilkie will coordinate efforts
across the federal government and
provide grants for new programs. Their goal is to create a national plan that
will address current issues and increase the
overall effectiveness of suicide-prevention outreach. Since Trump’s election, veteran suicide-prevention
outreach has declined, with the VA agency only having
spent $57,000 of their allotted $6 million budget. The PREVENTS Initiative will also incentivize government departments to share data and
bolster suicide research. Veteran Affairs Secretary
Peter O’Rourke, via statement.