The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Richard H. Carmona, M.D.
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide, a leading cause of premature death, is tragic. We all suffer when someone close to us dies by their own hand. Arizona ranks 20th across the country, with more than 1,600 deaths in 2022. I am confident that a Kamala Harris-Tim Walz administration will take suicide prevention and mental health seriously and push policies that will prevent unnecessary deaths and injuries.
As the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, I and the U.S. Public Health Service were dedicated to improving the health, safety, and security of our nation, including mental health. Prevention is the smartest way to protect men, women, and children from illnesses, injuries and mental health challenges that can ruin their lives. The Surgeon General is responsible to speak “truth to power” — to the President and staff — and to make the best recommendations for better health and welfare. I have seen different administrations tackle health care policy and know what it takes to speak the truth.
Health care should never be partisan and works best across the political aisle. Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have strong track records and have tackled mental health issues, including suicide, and physical health, with empathy and concern. I anticipate that their Surgeon General can tell them the facts, however inconvenient, and speak out on what is needed to prevent suicide, improve mental health, and advance the health and welfare of all our communities.
I was born in New York City to a poor Hispanic family, raised in Harlem, dropped out of high school at 17, and enlisted in the Army in 1967. I received an Army GED and went on to successfully complete Special Forces training as a medic and weapons specialist and became a combat-decorated Vietnam veteran. After combat, I reverted to Army Reserve status, gained entrance to a junior college with an open enrollment program for combat veterans, worked as a first responder, nurse and physician’s assistant while focusing on going to medical school. At UCSF Medical School, I graduated in three years and was awarded a Gold-Headed Cane as the top graduate.
My life in Harlem was in the streets and heading nowhere. I risked my life for my country to save my life. I am not a “loser” or a “sucker” and reject Trump’s remarks demeaning those who have worn the uniform like my friend, the late U.S. Senator John McCain, who was called a loser by Donald Trump because he was a POW! I chose to serve, and Trump dodged the draft by getting his family doctor to diagnose him with bone spurs, which interestingly did not impair his civilian activities. No one in Trump’s family has served in the military for more than 150 years.
He clearly does not understand selfless military service and honoring those who have gone into harm’s way. Veterans honor their fellow service members and would never use a ceremony, like the recent ceremony at Arlington Cemetery as a political photo op.
The Biden-Harris administration has enacted initiatives to ensure comprehensive care for active military personnel, veterans, and their families. The policies expand healthcare access and address urgent health issues like mental health care and suicide prevention. The legislation ensures that every veteran, regardless of race, color, or creed, receives the care they deserve. The Biden executive order, supported by the Harris-Walz ticket, enhances crisis services, improves access to mental health care, and expands the capacity of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to meet the needs of those struggling with mental health issues. It is suicide prevention in action.
Effective suicide prevention builds on a whole-of-government approach to mental health care. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz show genuine empathy and concern, which are essential to preventing suicide. They understand our veterans and their whole health needs and will work to improve the quality of life for our veterans while protecting the dignity and integrity of the Office of the President and Vice President of the United States.
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