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Federal lawmakers sign “PREVENTS” pledge supporting our trooops

Amata and other Members of Congress sign PREVENTS pledge
Sources: Media release from Cong. Aumua Amata's office

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Congresswoman Aumua Amata highlighted the PREVENTS pledge to reach out to Veterans as part of the national initiative to prevent Veterans’ suicides.

“National Suicide Prevention Month has ended, but our work and commitment to our Veterans is only beginning,” said Aumua Amata. “The pledge is a reminder of this responsibility to the Veterans in our lives.”

Amata and other Members of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs signed the pledge last week to help raise awareness as September’s National Suicide Prevention Month came to a close. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a website devoted entirely to this need (https://www.wearewithinreach.net/), and it has details on the effort, known risk factors, ways to be involved, and resources, such as the crisis line for Veterans or Military.

On March 05, 2019, the President signed an Executive Order, better known as The President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS), which called for the development of a comprehensive plan to empower Veterans and end suicide through coordinated suicide prevention efforts, prioritized research activities, and strengthened collaboration across public and private sectors.

Research shows that for every suicide, 135 people are personally affected — families, friends, co-workers, and community members — which means in one year, up to 6.3 million people were directly affected by suicide.

Anyone can read and take the pledge at https://www.wearewithinreach.net/pledge/.

Learn more at https://www.va.gov/prevents/get-involved.asp.