A simplistic and omitted method of reducing veteran and/or public suicides is to require written informed consent by the VA or other health agencies. If you survey veterans you will quickly determine that they have no idea of the side effects re the medications they are taking.
They also have no idea that they in fact have treatment options such as chiropractic, canine therapy, hyperbaric treatment ,etc. the reason for this is that the current method for informed consent is verbal when in fact it needs to be written. Verbal consent cannot be monitored or enforce, so in fact there is no evidence that any veteran has received informed consent. Secretary of the VA David Shulkin employed written inform consent across the VA for long-term pain opioids. He has told me that he agrees that this now needs to be applied to the Black box medications such as antidepressants, stimulants, narcitics and antipsychotics. Deputy VA secretary Tom Bowman also agrees that this needs to occur and that it will save lives and reduce suicides. It will also greatly improve over all health outcomes while cutting needless expenditures for non-optimum and many time damaging treatments. I can send you resolutions that have been recently passed to employ written informed consent within the VA. Such resolutions have recently been passed by the American Legion DAV, VFW, ROA and the Jewish War Veterans. I can also provide evidence that the Marine corps reserves association, Navy SEAL foundation, fleet reserves, association of the US Navy, Vietnam veterans of America and others are in support of this issue. This is a foundational issue that will readily and simplistically assist RFK and our president to greatly impact suicides and overall health outcomes. Let me know how I can be of assistance John Spagnola CEO and President Veterans Strategic Solutions
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The head of pain management at the VA hospital in Houston NEVER prescribes opiates to our veterans Perhaps providing adequate pain relief as well as effective mental health services would help to reduce the suicide rate All veterans should be asked about their level of pain as well as to acknowledge all legitimate adverse drug effects and use of supplements which may also adversely effect mental health