St. Cloud VA Welcomes New Veteran Suicide Prevention Act

ST. CLOUD --  President Obama has signed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act.  It creates additional resources for veterans who suffer from things like depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

St. Cloud VA spokesman Barry Venable says starting now, combat veterans who were discharged between 2009-2011 now have an extra year to apply for VA Heath Care.

The new bill also has incentives to attract more psychiatrists to VA facilities around the country.

Venable says it will take time to realize all of the benefits of the new bill, but he says loved ones should be encouraging all veterans to enroll in the VA Health Care program. He says the suicide statistics drop significantly for vets who get help through the VA.