Eastern Oklahoma Veterans Affairs Creates Mental Health Evaluation Team

Eastern Oklahoma Veterans Affairs has created an evaluation team to expand suicide prevention efforts in the veteran community. They are calling it the “Veterans Mental Health Evaluation Team.” The group says their goal is to work with their partners to reach veterans experiencing mental health issues in the community.

The VMET will deploy a VA officer and licensed mental health clinician to respond alongside local law enforcement in various types of calls. These calls include veterans in crisis, conducting welfare checks and providing follow-up calls and visits.

The team says 17 veterans die per day by suicide with at least 11 of them not connected to any VA care beforehand. They say this team is going to help lower that number.

VMET said they have made great strides in working to reduce the number of Veteran suicides through the Veterans Crisis Hotline, expanding same-day mental health appointments, and hiring additional clinicians, but one critical element is overlooked: working with community partners to reach Veterans experiencing mental health crises in the community.

Andrea Simkins with VMET said in a statement, “By partnering with the community, we can reach the veteran where they are at and provide a sense of hope and understanding while guiding them through the process of getting connected to VA services.”

VA leaders say the team of trained professionals will make a huge difference in the veteran community.

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