9/3/2020 12:00:00 PM
/mdva/assets/2020-09-10-prevents-day_tcm1066-445610.pdf
Suicide is preventable.
Suicide has claimed more than 100 Minnesota Veteran lives per year during the past five years. Suicide is a national public health problem that disproportionately affects those who serve in our nation’s armed forces. For Veterans, the suicide rate is 1.5 times higher and the female Veteran suicide rate is 2.2 times higher than the general population.
As this rate continues to increase, especially among younger Veterans, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) is collaborating with others to identify the root causes of Veteran suicide and create an innovative, cooperative way to reverse this trend. We are working toward zero Veteran deaths by suicide in Minnesota.
To support this effort, Minnesota is participating in the “Governor’s Challenge” to eliminate Veteran death by suicide, a collaborative effort with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA). For several years, SAMHSA has partnered with the VA to bring the “Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families” to states and communities across the nation. This collaboration uses a public health approach – meaning we all can help – to reduce suicide. Learn more about the VA’s public health approach to suicide prevention in this short video.
To support the success of this initiative, Governor Walz has directed multiple state agencies – including the Minnesota Departments of Veterans Affairs, Military Affairs, Higher Education, Human Services, Health and Agriculture – to prioritize this effort and work collaboratively along with other state, federal and local partners. MDVA is coordinating this multi-agency effort.
“We are confident that using a collaborative approach – like our work to end Veteran homelessness – will position us to make a similarly positive impact in the area of preventing Veteran suicide,” said Larry Herke, MDVA Commissioner.
The Governor’s Challenge team from Minnesota recently articulated a four-pronged plan as part of a training sponsored by the VA, VHA and SAMSHA. The plan’s goals include:
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and MDVA is using this month to amplify the importance of checking in on our friends, family and community members. Everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention and that sometimes simply asking someone, “How are you, really?” and listening for their response can make all the difference in someone’s life.
Suicide is a national public health concern that affects all Americans. This month – and every month – take a moment to show a Veteran you care. Throughout the month, we are sharing messages prepared by the Minneapolis VA Health Care System that feature their employees representing a loss from suicide.
PREVENTS, the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide, is the first all-of-government and whole-of-Nation approach to preventing suicide. The PREVENTS Task Force and President Trump released the PREVENTS Roadmap to coordinate suicide prevention efforts, prioritize research activities, strengthen collaboration across the public and private sectors, and implement a national public health campaign.
The Veteran survey, which is available during the month of September, will ensure that Veterans lead the way as we work to change the way we think about, talk about, and address mental health and suicide.
If you are a Veteran, please use the link below to take the survey and share it with those friends and family members who have served.
For more information on preventing Veteran suicide in Minnesota, visit /mdva/resources/veteransuicideprevention/index.jspMinnesotaVeteran.org/EndVetSuicide.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the Veterans Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255, press 1.
