National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships
HAP Partnership Impact
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: VA partnerships work to bolster Veterans’ mental health
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)’s top clinical priority is preventing suicide among all Veterans, including those who do not seek care within the VA health care system. To this end, VA offers and uplifts a suite of suicide prevention resources, such as the 24/7 Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), self-help resources like Make the Connection, where Veterans can learn stories of recovery, tools to help establish mental health practices, and mobile apps for mental health. VA has a specially trained suicide prevention coordinator at every VA medical center in the country, as well as Vet Centers that can help Veterans readjust to civilian life.
VA also partners with nongovernmental agencies to bring even more suicide prevention resources to Veterans. September is recognized as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—Sept. 5-11 is National Suicide Prevention Week, and World Suicide Prevention Day is Sept. 10—and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships (HAP) is uplifting its support of VA partnerships with OnStar, American Lung Association (ALA), and Expiration Term of Service Sponsorship program (ETS-SP).
OnStar
VA partnered with OnStar, an in-vehicle safety and security system, in late 2020. VA and OnStar help connect Veterans to the VCL for mental health assistance by using OnStar’s in-vehicle emergency services button or OnStar’s Guardian smartphone app. The VCL is staffed by trained responders, many of whom are Veterans themselves. VA will also provide resources and education to OnStar about suicide prevention, military culture, and how to determine if the caller has served in the military. Read more about how one HAP staffer worked with a Veteran in crisis, which led to this partnership.
American Lung Association
When it comes to suicide prevention, many health care providers are focused on the social determinants of health (SDOH), which are the conditions in the environments where Veterans live. Positive SDOH help Veterans live better lives, while negative SDOH are strong predictors of suicide risk. Social connectedness is a crucial positive SDOH, especially for Veterans diagnosed with a lung condition. Through the ALA partnership, Veterans can connect to the Association’s Better Breathers Network, a nationwide online patient support program where Veterans and their caregivers can sign up for regular, virtual support meetings. As part of the partnership—as is the case with all VA partnerships—VA will share information with ALA specific to Veterans’ needs, including on suicide prevention, the VCL, and the public-facing, free S.A.V.E. Training.
ETS-SP
ETS-SP assists service members in their transition back into civilian communities by facilitating access to community resources, facilitating VHA or VA benefits enrollment, and connecting service members to peer sponsors in their destination community who help them reintegrate into civilian life. Having a sponsor and easier access to resources before, during, and after the transition process can increase social connectedness, can increase resilience and protective SDOH such as employment and financial stability, and can address environmental and social conditions that can contribute to suicidal behaviors. VA and ETS have both identified reducing the risk of suicide and facilitating mental health resiliency as critical priorities within this nonmonetary partnership.
For more information on HAP’s support of partnerships, please visit va.gov/healthpartnerships.
Content Disclaimer: Article content may not reflect the current status of partnerships or initiatives mentioned therein. For any questions about the status a VHA partnership or healthcare advancement initiative, contact the VHA National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships at VHA_Partnerships@va.gov.
External Link Disclaimer: This page contains links that will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites.
Posted September 3, 2021
