Barriers to veterans seeking help in crisis

I am an OIF veteran who has been advocating for mental health reform and reduce the amount of veteran suicides. I am trying to push legistlators to make changes to the law to encourage veterans to seek treatment while in crisis, but this has been falling on deaf ears. I feel that if I had hard data and research to back me up, I might be able to grab their attention. Despite public awareness of the national suicide hotline, 22 veterans take their own lives everyday. I would like a researcher to talk with and poll veterans to find out what is stopping them from calling the crisis hotline when in crisis. Do veterans not call the crisis hotline when in crisis because: -They are not aware it exists -They do not belive the crisis worker can help them with their problems. -They belive they will be ultimately be committed to a psychiatric hospital When a veteran is in crisis, they can also admit themselves to the nearest VA hospital where they will be admitted to the VA psychiatric ward or transported to another hospital if there is no space available. If a veteran in crisis choses not to seek this option, what was their reasoning? -Fear of involuntary commitment? -Fear of being restrained, either physically or chemically? -Loss of job? -Loss of 2nd amendment rights? -Loss of freedom? -Fear that the hospital won't be able to help them? -Afraid of possibly having to pay for their hospitalization? For veterans who have already been in a VA psychiatric hospital, how would they rate the quality of their care overall? Did they feel: -The hospital improved their condition? -Their medical concerns were addressed? -They were discharged with a suitable outpatient mental health care plan? -The hospital provided a safe and therapeutic environment? -Their was an appropriate number of groups? -The groups were relevent to their mental illness? Consistency between VA hospitals For veterans who have been admitted to multiple VA hospitals, did they feel: -There was an adequate level of consistency and quality of care between hospitals? -If not, how come? Consistency between VA hospitals and private psychiatric hospitals For veterans who have been admitted to a VA psychiatric hospital and a private (non-VA) hospital -Were their certain aspects of your care in a private psychictric hospital that you felt were lacking or would be beneficial in a VA psychiatric hospital? -Were their certain aspects of your care in a VA psychiatric hospital that you felt were lacking or would be beneficial in private psychiatric hospital? Veterans in crisis can admit themselves to a non-VA hospital and have the VA pay for their hospitalization through the recently passed COMPACT Act. -I'd like veterans to be asked if they've heard of the COMPACT Act -If so, if they know what it entails and what it covers Researchers must outline their method to specifically target veterans so that they do not capture data from general public. Rate is negotiable.