Donnelly Says Jacob Sexton Act Will Save Lives

U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly says he feels “overwhelmingly positive and happy” that Congress has passed a bill he says will save lives.  The legislation he authored is meant to prevent military suicides.

The Jacob Sexton Act, which was added to the annual national defense bill, provides yearly mental health screenings to all military members – including the National Guard and reservists – while ensuring those who seek help aren’t denied career advancement as a result. Donnelly says its passage was possible because of a nonstop, two-year effort by many people, including Jeff and Barb Sexton. 

Donnelly says their son Jacob was a National Guardsman from Farmland, Indiana who took his own life while on leave from Afghanistan in 2009.

“And Jeff and Barb Sexton, who were kind enough to step up and out of their own tragedy try to make something positive of it, have been inspirational to me in every way," Donnelly said. "So the goal is that every servicemember has a chance to not worry about being stigmatized, that they can seek help.”

Jeff Sexton says the day the bill passed would have been Jacob’s 27th birthday.

“I can’t think of a better birthday present for him, or a better birthday present for all the men and women and their families in the military,” he said.

Donnelly says the bill also requires a report that will provide best practices for reducing suicide from each military branch.