Klobuchar Urges Department of Veterans Affairs to Take Immediate Action to Improve Veterans Crisis Line

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar urged the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take immediate action to improve the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL). A new report from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (VAOIG) details delays in implementing necessary reforms to improve the VCL. In a letter to Secretary Shulkin, Klobuchar asked the VA to immediately implement a directive to improve governance and oversight of the crisis line.

"We write to express our concern over continued delays in implementing much needed reforms to the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL)," the senators wrote. "With data from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) indicating there are 20 veteran suicides a day, any delay is unacceptable and must be addressed. Without clear guidance on how the VCL should run, it is impossible to expect that staff who are faced with some of the most challenging calls in their field would be able to run the VCL at its highest level. We ask for your immediate attention to this matter."

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