ANNVILLE — September is National Suicide Prevention Month. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) wants to remind Pennsylvania veterans that they are not alone, and help is available.
“One veteran suicide a day is too many, and the national average of 17 a day is alarming. We need to focus all our resources on assisting our veterans in crisis,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the DMVA. “If you are a veteran facing a difficult time, you are not alone — DMVA can assist with a network of resources to guide you through life’s challenges. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.”
If you are a veteran in crisis — or you are concerned about one — free, confidential support is available 24/7. Call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and then pressing 1, send a text message to 838255, or chat online.
Further, DMVA encouraged lighting a candle at 8 p.m. Sunday in observance of World Suicide Prevention Day. The annual observance is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
“It is important to let veterans — especially those in crisis — know that they are not forgotten, and lighting a candle on Sunday is one way to convey that message in a meaningful manner,” Schindler said. “We need to do all we can to assist veterans who served and sacrificed so much for this nation and on our behalf.”
Military veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die by suicide than Americans who never served in the military. For female veterans, the risk factor is 2.2 times more likely. Pennsylvania serves and advocates for more than 700,000 veterans – the fourth largest veteran population in the nation.
The Veterans Administration (VA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) continue to partner to reduce suicide. The VA/SAMHSA Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among our Service Members, Veterans and their Families has been a great success in bringing awareness to this public health crisis.
All 54 states and territories are now taking part in the Governor’s Challenge. The Pennsylvania Governor’s Challenge team, led by the DMVA, works with sister agencies and departments, several educational institutions, and a broad group of not-for-profit and faith-based organizations to develop and implement statewide and regional suicide prevention best practices.
Another resource available to veterans facing challenging times is DMVA’s PA VETConnect, an outreach program that enables the DMVA to concentrate services from within communities where our veterans live. This initiative allows the DMVA to utilize community-based providers to fill gaps in services for homelessness, employment, mental health, addiction and more.
