Final yr Secretary of Protection Lloyd J. Austin III established the Suicide Prevention and Response Unbiased Evaluation Committee, or SPRIRC, to research methods to deal with and stop suicide within the army. At the moment, the Protection Division introduced that the secretary has applied the primary of the suggestions by the committee.
“Secretary Austin is directing a number of, speedy actions following the Suicide Prevention and Response Unbiased Evaluation Committee’s suggestions and establishing a suicide prevention implementation working group,” mentioned Pentagon Press Secretary Air Drive Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder throughout a briefing in the present day.
The SPRIRC was directed to supply to the secretary an preliminary report earlier than the tip of 2022. Now that the secretary has reviewed the report, he has directed the division to maneuver forward on a two-phase method to implement a number of the suggestions it accommodates.
As a part of the primary part, Austin has directed implementation of 10 of the SPRIRC’s suggestions. Austin has directed, for example, that the undersecretary of protection for personnel and readiness expedite the hiring course of for behavioral well being professionals.
The secretary has additionally directed the Protection Well being Company, in coordination with the secretaries of the army departments, to develop the supply of behavioral well being care and to additionally enhance processes to boost entry to psychological well being care.
As a part of the second part of implementation, the undersecretary of protection for personnel and readiness will set up a Suicide Prevention Implementation Working Group.
The working group will, amongst different issues, assess the advisability and feasibility of implementing every of the remaining suggestions by the SPRIRC, establish particular coverage and program adjustments wanted to implement every of the remaining suggestions, and supply value and manpower estimates required to implement every remaining advice.
The preliminary SPRIRC suggestions the SECDEF has directed to be applied, Ryder mentioned, are these that may be executed instantly by the division with none further authorities. Implementation of further suggestions will come after consideration by the working group.
“Whereas we acknowledge that suicide has no single trigger, and that no single preventative motion, remedy or remedy will eradicate suicide altogether, we are going to exhaust each effort to advertise the wellness, well being and morale of our complete drive, be there for each other and save lives,” Ryder mentioned.