The Grunt Style Foundation Announces New Mental Health Campaign Advocating for Veteran Suicide Prevention Efforts

"A War Cry for Change" aims to reclaim veteran mental health from overprescribed medications

SAN ANTONIO, June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Grunt Style Foundation, a nonprofit committed to providing life changing resources and experiences for veterans, service members and their families, has announced a new campaign, A War Cry for Change: The Revolution to Reclaim Veteran Mental Health. The initiative will address the crisis of overprescribing psychiatric drugs to military veterans and service members, the role this crisis has on the veteran suicide epidemic, and a new path forward to support their mental health needs.

The Grunt Style Foundation aims to shine light on the issue of overprescribing psychotropic medications to our nation's veterans, which have been linked to veteran suicides. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs data shows that in 2019 more than 28% of veterans treated by the VA in that year were prescribed antidepressant medications and 68% of veterans were prescribed psychiatric medications; this trend is only increasing. The majority of these medications include FDA Box Warnings about the increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

To learn more or to share your experience, please visit: gruntstylefoundation.org/warcryforchange

The Foundation's efforts have already secured a meeting and commitment from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough to explore this issue at the VA. The Grunt Style Foundation has proposed the following action items:

• Implement signatory informed consent for psychotropic medications at the VA
• Retrain all VA prescribers and mental health clinicians on efficacy and risk profiles of medications with FDA Box Warnings
• Reform VA De-Prescribing Guidelines for all psychotropic drugs with FDA Box Warnings
• Publicly release VHA prescription rates of antidepressants and all classes of psychotropic medications and publish post-mortem toxicology report data for all veterans treated by the VHA who died by suicide or of deaths of undetermined intent (by year since 2001)

"Many individuals benefit from prescribed medications. We are in no way encouraging veterans to discontinue or change the dose of antidepressant or other medications without consulting their physician first; our goal is simply to educate and encourage others to ask challenging questions about the side effects of these medications," said Tim Jensen, President of The Grunt Style Foundation. "This is about informed consent and safer prescribing practices, which will help reduce the number of tragedies occurring to veterans and their families."

ABOUT THE GRUNT STYLE FOUNDATION
Established in 2021, the Grunt Style Foundation is a 501(c)3 national nonprofit organization committed to providing life-changing resources and experiences in which Veterans, Service Members and their families thrive. The Grunt Style Foundation is the nonprofit arm of Grunt Style, a patriotic and veteran-operated apparel brand, to further Grunt Style's commitment to recognize and celebrate those who bravely served our country. The Grunt Style Foundation focuses on mental health and wellness, military transition, and sustainment, while alleviating food insecurities, and ending homelessness for military and veteran communities. To learn more about the Grunt Style Foundation, please visit www.gruntstylefoundation.org

SOURCE Grunt Style