Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act (SAV Act)

Reflection Paper
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Reflection Paper
The “Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act (SAV Act)” was implemented in 2015. The bill was drafted after Clay Hunt, a Marine Corps veteran, took his life in 2011. The soldier served in the Afghanistan and Iraq war, and he was an excellent example of how veterans’ states of mental health push them to make wrong decisions that either cause death or pain to others. For this reason, since the SAV Act was implemented, it has significantly impacted the veteran community. According to the government fact sheet, about 22 veterans take their lives every day. As such, over 8,000 veterans who served in combat commit suicide annually. For example, approximately 600,000 soldiers who fought the Afghanistan and Iraq war have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression (Castor.house.gov, n.d.). Consequently, the SAV Act makes it easy for veterans to obtain proper mental healthcare services, which has reduced the number of deaths.
In particular, it is always good to serve people who selflessly offered to safeguard their country during tough times. Soldiers hold significant responsibilities, and many people do not know the challenges they face to keep the nation safe. As such, the information obtained from this module and discussions help me to be in a better position to “serve those who have served” our country. For instance, I have learned that any person who witnesses war or sees people dying might change their behaviors. For example, shooting individuals, whether it is during a war or not, is a traumatic event. Since soldiers who serve in wars go through many challenges, they need to be served well when they retire (Lamothe, 2015). I have learned that the best way to serve veterans is to develop a trusting relationship with them and understand what they are going through in life. As such, giving hope to these individuals and involving them in community activities improve their mental well-being, which keeps away bad thoughts such as committing suicide.
The information I have obtained significantly influences my social work practice. The SAV Act provides community outreach and peer support programs that assist veterans in transitioning to better people since they can ac...