WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is joining with lawmakers and government leaders to cast a spotlight on the issue of suicide among veterans.
Obama on Thursday will sign the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act into law. First lady Michelle Obama, Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald and veterans are expected to attend the White House ceremony.
The measure is named for a Marine who struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hunt killed himself in 2011 in Texas.
The bill creates a pilot program to help veterans transition out of active duty, and it creates a website to provide veterans with information about available mental health services.
The bill also requires the VA's suicide prevention programs to be evaluated annually by a third party.
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