Monday night, the House of Representatives passed the Not Just a Number Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) to require the Department of Veterans Affairs to take a more comprehensive look at the factors that best prevent veteran suicide. The legislation passed as part of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act by a vote of 389-9.

“Veteran suicide is a complex problem that requires a holistic approach,” said Connolly. “But as it stands now, the VA is limited in the data it can use to study and ultimately prevent veteran suicide. This issue is too important for the VA to be operating with one hand tied behind its back … . We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude that can never truly be repaid,” Connolly continued. “Let us honor our troops not just in words, but in our actions, by standing alongside them and their families and seeing this important piece of legislation signed into law.”

The Not Just a Number Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand its scope when studying veteran suicide data. Instead of focusing solely on VA health care utilization, the bill mandates a more holistic approach, considering factors such as education, job training, housing, and other relevant socioeconomic factors. This approach will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the complex, interconnected factors that contribute to veteran suicide and will paint a more accurate picture of the multifaceted challenges our veterans face, enabling us to develop more effective support systems and interventions.

Text of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, which includes the Not Just a Number Act, is available here. https://connolly.house.gov/uploadedfiles/hr_8371.pdf

If you or a veteran you know is in crisis, please call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and Press 1, or text 838255. Help is available 24/7, and you don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect with caring, qualified responders.