WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has sent a letter to Lieutenant General Telita Crosland, director of the Defense Health Agency, urging the Department of Defense (DoD) to consider allocating funds for new mental health care application programming and reform existing efforts.

In the letter, Fetterman wrote: “As DoD considers how to spend its greater than $60 billion annual budget for military health care funding in Fiscal Year 2026, I urge the Department to consider allocating funds for new mental health care application programming. We know this funding will pay for itself long term – the estimated return on investment is about $4 for every $1 spent. Prioritizing creative, preventative care measures like mobile applications will equip our servicemembers with the tools and resources they need to navigate personal adversity and avoid mental health emergencies.”

In his letter, Fetterman highlighted how mental health mobile applications have proven to be effective in managing depression and reducing related symptoms among users. These types of apps are typically free or low-cost to users, discreet for use at a moment’s notice, and can be used without cellular service or WiFi, which is crucial if a servicemember is deployed. However, despite their potential, DoD’s existing apps are underutilized. Of the mobile apps currently available to servicemembers, only two were used by more than 1,500 individuals over a three-month period studied by DoD.

The need for accessible mental health care is evident. The average suicide rate for veterans is 150% higher than that of the general population. Among women veterans, it’s 250% higher.

LGBTQ+ veterans attempt suicide at a rate 15 times higher than veterans overall.

More than 40% of mental health provider positions within the military health system are vacant.