NYHealth Testimony on Implementing Recommendations from the Veterans Advisory Board

NYHealth Senior Program Officer Derek Coy testified in-person at the September 22, 2025, New York City Council Committee on Veterans Meeting on Oversight - Implementing Recommendations from the Veterans Advisory Board.

Good morning, Chair Holden and members of the Committee. My name is Derek Coy, and I am testifying on behalf of the New York Health Foundation (NYHealth). NYHealth is a private, independent, statewide foundation dedicated to improving the health of all New Yorkers-including the more than 133,000 or so veterans who call New York City home. I am also a proud veteran, having served as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps.

At NYHealth, we have a long-standing commitment to improving health and mental health outcomes for veterans. Our work includes data-driven initiatives to assess the needs of City and State veteran populations, expand access to and improve the quality of Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs), and support student veterans. We have partnered with the New York City Department of Veterans' Services (NYC DVS) and several veteran-focused community organizations, including Mission: VetCheck, Black Veterans for Social Justice, and Team Rubicon to help expand access to services for veterans in the City.

We appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony on implementing recommendations from the New York City Veterans Advisory Board.

We support many of the Board's recommendations. In particular, we applaud recommendations that promote programs and services connecting veterans to the benefits for which they are eligible, as well as to health and mental health services, housing, education, and other critical supports such as peer-to-peer networks.

A Focus on Suicide Prevention is Needed

We strongly encourage the Board and the Council to expand the recommendations and adopt an explicit focus on veteran suicide prevention. Our analysis of recent data shows that New York City veterans die by suicide at twice the rate of their civilian counterparts.^[1] Other research indicates that certain subgroups, including justice-involved and recently transitioned veterans, are at even higher risk.

Below, we offer several considerations and recommendations, drawn from NYHealth's expertise and experience in veteran suicide prevention.

Strengthen the Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Program

The report from the Veterans Advisory Board highlights NYC's recent expansion of the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program (Dwyer program) and we agree with its recommendation to improve processing of these grants. NYHealth has supported expanding peer support programs statewide, particularly the Dwyer Program. As the report notes, the Dwyer program reduces isolation and connects veterans to services through a variety of approaches, making it a powerful tool for promoting mental health and preventing suicide. The program is ripe for more robust evaluation to support further expansion and replication of the program throughout the City.

Expand Data Collection and Evaluation

Robust program evaluation and data collection are needed to understand what is working, and where more resources are needed. We support the Board's recommendation to use increased funding to NYC DVS to expand evaluation and documentation of programming.

Over the past decade, NYHealth has funded and partnered with many organizations to evaluate the needs of New York veterans and veteran-serving organizations. For example, in 2019, NYHealth supported the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University to conduct a 50-state analysis of each state's veteran agencies. This work demonstrated that New York State's Department of Veterans' Services, and by extension NYC DVS, is underfunded compared to peer states. New York State also spends less per veteran than almost every other state.^[2]

When evaluating programs, such research must include key measures such as veteran suicide rates. For example, the City's Bureau of Vital Statistic could make available relevant local data to help government and nonprofit organizations improve service delivery. Future research efforts should also disaggregate data by race, ethnicity, age and borough to better inform tailored programs and address disparities in veteran outcomes.

Ensure Veterans Treatment Courts are Inclusive

Justice-involved veterans are twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to veterans who have not encountered the criminal justice system.^[3] VTCs are a proven intervention to reduce that risk, in part due to their robust peer support program component.

VTCs are specialized courts that provide justice-involved veterans with access to mental health care, substance use treatment, and peer mentorship, rather than punitive measures alone. NYHealth has been involved in advocacy to build and expand VTCs since their creation in 2008, and spearheaded efforts to support policy change that created universal access statewide in 2021.

We support the report's recommendation for inclusive eligibility policies that allow all veterans, regardless of discharge status, to access these programs. To strengthen VTCs further, we recommend:
• Expanding training for peer mentors in cultural competency and suicide prevention;
• Sharing best practices across courts; and
• Exploring compensation models to sustain peer mentors.

Support Student Veterans During a Critical Transition Period

Transitioning from military to civilian life can be a particularly vulnerable period. Research shows that the first year after separation, sometimes referred to as the "deadly gap", carries the highest risk of suicide among younger veterans.^[4] Because of their time in service, student veterans are typically older, more likely to have jobs off-campus, and more likely to be parents than students with no military history. These responsibilities, combined with higher rates of psychological symptoms and difficulty navigating academia, can create real barriers. Stigma, limited access to culturally competent care, and confusion around U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits only compound these challenges.

Suicidal ideation is also significantly higher among student veterans compared with civilian students.^[5] And younger veterans (18-34) have the highest rates of suicide among all veteran age groups.^[6] Providing comprehensive support, culturally competent care on campus and in communities, along with peer support, is essential for their academic, professional, and personal success.

As someone personally supported by the GI Bill®, I understand the life-changing potential when the right programs and supports are in place. The Board's report outlines important recommendations, and we recommend additional efforts to address suicide prevention among students, including:

• Stronger calls to action focused on preventing veteran suicide;
• Targeted interventions for high-risk groups, including justice-involved veterans and those transitioning from service;
• More accurate and timely capture and dissemination of local veteran suicide information; and
• Implementing proven screening tools in more locations that veterans frequent, e.g. the Columbia Screening Protocol.

Conclusion

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. NYHealth is committed to supporting the City's efforts to improve services for veterans, which must include suicide prevention focused efforts.

We encourage the Council to regard us as a resource and partner as these efforts continue. You can learn about our veterans' health work and more by visiting our website, www.nyhealthfoundation.org. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please reach out to me at [email protected]. Together, we can ensure that New York City veterans receive the support, care, and opportunities they need to thrive.

References

[1] NYHealth, "Navigating the Crisis: Deaths of Despair and Suicide Among New York City Veterans", 2024. Accessed September 2025. Available at https://nyhealthfoundation.org/resource/nyc-deaths-of-despair-suicide/#background

[2] Syracuse University, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, "A Strategic Roadmap to Enhance the Role and Impact of the New York State Division of Veterans' Services", 2019. Accessed September 2025. Available at: https://nyhealthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/IVMF-strategic-roadmap-to-enhance-the-role-and-impact-of-ny-state-dvs.pdf

[3] Holliday, R., Forster, J. E., Desai, A., Miller, C., Monteith, L. L., Schneiderman, A. I., & Hoffmire, C. A. (2021). Association of lifetime homelessness and justice involvement with psychiatric symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt among post-9/11 veterans. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 144, 455-461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.11.007

[4] Sokol, Y., Gromatsky, M., Edwards, E. R., Greene, A. L., Geraci, J. C., Harris, R. E., Goodman, M. (2021). The deadly gap: Understanding suicide among veterans transitioning out of the military. Journal of Psychiatry Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113875.

[5] Lake, K.N., Ferber, L., Kilby, D.J., Mourtada, H., Pushpanadh, S., and Verdeli, H (2022). Qualitative Study Examining Perceived Stigma and Barriers to Mental Health Care Among Student Veterans. Journal of Veterans Studies, 8(3), pp. 239-252. DOI: http://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v8i3.379.

[6] NYHealth, Data Snapshot: Veteran Suicide in New York State (2022 Update). (2022). New York Health Foundation. Accessed September 2025. Available at: https://nyhealthfoundation.org/resource/data-snapshot-veteran-suicide-in-new-york-state-2022/