WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced several steps in VA’s ongoing fight to prevent veteran suicide — including awarding $1,490,211 in grants to community organizations implementing tailored suicide prevention programs and services for veterans and their families in Pennsylvania.
An additional $750,000 was awarded to organizations that serve veterans in numerous states, including Pennsylvania.
Through its Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, VA will award a total of $52.5 million this fiscal year to 85 organizations across 41 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa and Puerto Rico to fund services in the 2025 fiscal year. Eight additional previous grantees will also continue services into FY 2025. VA prioritizes awards for organizations that focus on providing services in rural communities, Tribal lands, U.S. territories, medically underserved areas, areas with a high number or percentage of minority veterans or women veterans, and areas with a high number or percentage of calls to the Veterans Crisis Line.
These grants are a part of VA’s National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide and the Biden-Harris Administration’s strategy to reduce military and veteran suicide. Since 2021, VA has worked aggressively to expand support for veterans in crisis, including offering no-cost emergency suicide prevention care, launching Dial 988 then Press 1 to streamline veterans’ access to the Veterans Crisis Line, expanding firearm suicide prevention efforts, and more.
“It takes all of us, working together, to prevent veteran suicide,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “By working together with these organizations in the community, we’ll be able to save more lives and get one step closer to our goal of ensuring that no veteran is ever alone in their time of need.”
In addition to awarding these grants, VA has taken many additional steps during this fiscal year to expand veteran suicide prevention efforts, including:
If you’re a veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7 confidential support. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or healthcare to connect. To reach responders, Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.
