Welcome to the Northwest Pennsylvania
Veteran Suicide Prevention Program
Working with Healthcare Partners, Community Organizations,
Veterans and their Families to End Suicide Deaths.
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Greetings to our stakeholders and supporters |
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Welcome to PERU's March newsletter for the Northwest Pennsylvania (NW PA) Veteran Suicide Prevention Program. We look forward to updating you every month with program news, training events, community outreach activities, and evidence-based best practices for reducing suicidality and increasing social connectedness and resilience among Veterans.
We encourage you to connect with us through our Facebook and LinkedIn groups and share the news of this program with colleagues, friends, and relevant community organizations. Your participation is greatly appreciated.
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Read and Share Our Articles |
We regularly share program-relevant articles on our website's blog. Designed to inform and inspire, these can be shared with colleagues or organizations that may have an interest in collaborating. Here's what we published over the last month: |
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As part of our ongoing “Person-First” series chronicling the lived experiences of Veterans, Erie County resident Mike Shannon discusses his recovery journey and the launch of Bodhi Gardens, a non-profit that uses small-scale vegetable farming and horticultural therapy to help those experiencing mental health issues.
Read time: 5 minutes
This article summarizes a recent presentation by Patti Gerhauser, Senior Program Implementation Specialist, and explores the following topics: What is military sexual trauma (MST)? The prevalence of MST among service members and the common mental health outcomes associated with the experience(s). How the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) screens for MST. The implications for suicide prevention among survivors of MST.
Read time: 7 minutes
Our online media toolkit can help spread the word about the NW PA Veteran Suicide Prevention Program. The toolkit contains sample email text, a press release for announcing collaborations, and a program overview article that can be forwarded to local newspapers, health and wellness organizations, community groups, and houses of worship. All materials can be customized to meet individual needs.
Read time: 7 minutes
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Upcoming opportunities and events |
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March 22nd 2 PM EST
FREE
Join the Action Alliance for a free webinar—Aligning the Field Around a 988 Messaging Framework—to learn more about this new resource and how you can use it to guide your public messaging efforts. This session will help public messengers—including state agencies, crisis centers, non-profit organizations, businesses, foundations, and others—in determining when and how to best communicate about 988, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.
April 12th 12 noon EST
FREE
In this virtual presentation by Aimee Coughlin Johnson, LCSW, this webinar will discuss the national problem of Veteran suicide, provide clinical resources and tools that can be used to implement lethal means safety counseling and suicide prevention safety plans, and provide links to VA resources that can be accessed for consultation. 1 NBCC Credit Hour
SCOPE First Responders Training
Ongoing
FREE
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Your participation saves lives |
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According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), suicide is a growing public health crisis that took more than 48,000 lives in the United States in 2018.
In Pennsylvania alone, the rate of suicide deaths in 2018 was 15.7 per 100,000, compared to the national rate of 14.8 per 100,000.
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Fully funded by the CDC, this program aims to reduce Veteran suicide attempts, injuries, and deaths by 10% (on average) over five years in the fifteen counties of Northwestern Pennsylvania. By improving access to treatment and support services, we will increase awareness of Veteran suicide risk through suicide prevention community activities and training opportunities.
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There are many ways to participate |
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Whether you identify as a healthcare provider, community organization, or Veteran, there are several opportunities through the NW PA Veteran Suicide Prevention Program to connect to resources, participate in educational training, and promote harm reduction strategies for at-risk Veterans.
We are actively recruiting healthcare and community partners to work with us in meeting our goals and objectives. Help us:
- Create community-based programs and services that foster supportive environments, promote social belonging and community connections, and offer effective coping and resilience-building strategies.
- Deliver healthcare-related programs and services that identify and support people at-risk and strengthen access to and delivery of care.
- Reduce misuse of firearms and preventing suicide by firearms.
- Offer suicide awareness training for community members and Veterans.
- Provide activities that promote Veteran culture and connection within communities.
The list above represents a sample of all available opportunities. Please contact us to connect with a program specialist and learn more.
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Learn more about our work |
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Need Help? Know Someone Who Does? Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or use the online Lifeline Crisis Chat. Both are free and confidential. You'll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor in your area.
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PERU is dedicated to meaningful research and its contribution to a health system that facilitates a patient’s ability to achieve optimal health, well-being, recovery, and choice. |
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Funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Program |
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