Grantees and lawmakers press VA to fix screening, referral and state-coverage problems in Fox program
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Summary
Community grantees at the Senate Veterans' Affairs hearing urged the VA and Congress to address implementation problems in the Fox grant program — including screening burdens, variable referral processes with local VA medical centers, transportation barriers, and uneven state coverage — and supported accountability and clearer data sharing.
Grantee organizations and witnesses told the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program has produced important outreach results but faces operational obstacles that reduce its effectiveness.
Witnesses asked Congress and VA to make several programmatic fixes. Jim Lorraine of America's Warrior Partnership recommended simplifying intake for veterans already screened by grantees and codifying emergent suicide-care linkages such as 988. "The pathway from community identification to VA must be more transparent, quicker and less burdensome," Lorraine said. He and other grantees also asked for better metrics and more transparent reporting to ensure accountability for taxpayer funds.
Several grantees described the Columbia suicide-screening tool as an implementation barrier. Stephen Crowe, program manager for Oklahoma Veterans United, said that although the Columbia tool is well intentioned, its use can deter participation. He told the committee that grantees had reported veterans refusing or abandoning the intake process because of intrusive questions and that grantees were restricted from tracking veterans deemed ineligible — a practice he said could create survivorship bias in reported outcomes.
Senator Angus King and others raised practical suggestions that drew support from witnesses, such as providing lockboxes or other lethal-means-safety measures and allowing low-cost supports (gym memberships, instruments) that evidence or grantees' experience suggest may help. Grantees noted transportation as a recurring barrier and supported allowing grant funds to cover rides or mileage when public rideshare options do not exist in rural areas.
State coverage and prioritization also surfaced as a concern. Senator Kramer described efforts to add prioritization so states that had not previously received funds could access grants; VA officials said they were open to working with the committee but cautioned against creating administratively separate tiers that would lower uniform quality standards.
Data and accountability issues were a recurring theme. The Institute for Veterans and Military Families said its research shows communities can both reach veterans not enrolled in VA care and help connect those already in VA care to services. Some grantees urged Congress to require verifiable metrics, routine audits and regular reporting. Grantees also recommended that higher funding ceilings be available for proven organizations capable of scaling outreach, contingent on performance data.
Why it matters: Grantees said implementation fixes could substantially increase the program's effectiveness at reaching veterans not engaged with VA care and reduce barriers that cause people to drop out during intake.
Next steps: Grantees and VA officials said they are willing to work with committee staff on legislative language to simplify intake, standardize referral pathways and improve reporting while preserving high quality of services.