Suicide Prevention and Vaccine Event

Veterans and their families were invited to come hear Justin Fienhold of the VAPIHCS suicide prevention program, Danny Maybury from the 1 Mile 1 Veteran podcast, and James Ingebredtsen, the VAPIHCS assistant director speak about the importance of suicide prevention programs. The Akaka Clinic opened in April of 2024, and it is still attracting new Veterans who have not yet signed up for VA health care. 

“My friend told me about the event, and I thought I should bring my dad and see what it was about,” said Lenora Willy-Haff. “He has always received his care at Tripler in the past, but we thought we should see what VA had to offer.” 

Willy-Haff is caregiver to her father Ret. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Conrad Willy, and she stressed that her mother and father had always received wonderful care at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC), but she was interested in the healthy aging programs and other services that are specific to VA. Her father felt nostalgic being at a VA event, and shared stories from his childhood when he lost his parents, and how the Air Force gave him a career that he never could have had otherwise. The military offered him training, skills, and options so that he was able to build a life he could be proud of. 

“I was chronically ill as a child, and I wasn’t able to go to school. In fact, I was functionally illiterate when I joined the Air Force,” Ret. Sgt. Willy said. “They gave me the tools I needed, and when I got out, I could talk with electrical engineers and other professionals, and I knew just as much as them; I was just as educated and capable.” 

Willy went on to work for the Board of Water Supply, and to make a life for his family. His daughter spoke with pride about her father’s accomplishments, and about her husband -a Navy Veteran- and her son -a Marine. They came to gather information at the tables set up by different services and programs, but they also stopped to listen to what the speakers at the event had to say. The theme of suicide prevention provoked some serious but important dialog, such as the speech given by Danny Maybury. 

“Forty-eight percent of Americans are affected by suicide,” said Maybury. “Every eleven seconds, someone dies by suicide. It exists in every community. It isn’t just a Veteran problem; this is a problem that our neighbors deal with, that the person to the left and right of you may deal with.” 

Maybury and his wife travel and interview Veterans for their podcast, 1 Mile 1 Veteran. Their goal is to help Veterans live healthier lives, which in turn helps to prevent Veteran suicide. Maybury is a Navy Veteran who served in combat, and who has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). His own struggle with suicidal ideation led him to want to help others by raising difficult subjects and getting people talking. He encourages Veterans to walk while listening to his podcast, because leading a healthy lifestyle can help many people feel less depressed. VAPIHCS Assistant Director and Army Veteran James Ingebredtsen shared a different perspective in his speech. 

“When I was younger as a police officer -getting those calls to go out to a scene where someone had taken their own life- it seemed like it was a problem that happened to other people,” Ingebredtsen said. “As I got older, I had my own struggles, I saw others around me struggle, and I realized it’s not an ‘other’ problem. This is something that affects so many of us, and we need to have the courage to talk about it, because that will help take away the stigma that people feel about getting help.” 

Each speaker mentioned resources that are available to Veterans, but the most accessible of these is the Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988, then press 1. New legislation called the Compact Act has increased the acute mental health care that VA can offer, so that Veterans in crisis can get help at a VA or non-VA hospital regardless of enrollment status. Not all Veterans qualify for all services. However, all Veterans can call the Veterans Crisis Line, and the Compact Act allows options for in-patient treatment or other care deemed necessary at the time of the Veteran’s admission. 

The event wasn’t just about suicide prevention and mental health care. Wellness literature was available, as well as flu shots and COVID-19 boosters. Part of suicide prevention is helping Veterans maintain their overall wellness. Physical health often has a significant impact on mental health. As flu season begins, this is a good time for Veterans to get vaccinated before they are exposed to the virus. By doing so, they can decrease their chances of serve illness this flu season. 

“I was honored to partner with the VAPIHCS suicide prevention program to plan this event,” said Jenelle Duldulao, VAPIHCS health promotion and disease prevention program manager. “Vaccines are the best way to prevent serious illness this flu season, and being here vaccinating Veterans is a step towards promoting their overall health and wellness.” 

Whenever an event happens, it takes coordination both within VAPIHCS and in the community. Community organizations donate things like snacks and leis. Members of the community come to events to talk with Veterans as well, such as Grand Canyon University and American Veterans (AMVETS). Much of this gets put together by Maurice Martin, outreach coordinator for VAPIHCS. 

“We try to pull together as many resources as possible when we put on an event,” Martin said. “For this event, we really wanted to emphasize that suicide prevention is our number one clinical priority. Everything we do is suicide prevention, because we are a health care organization, and promoting wellness is suicide prevention. We also wanted to emphasize all the different programs we have that can help Veterans in whatever way they need to lead their best lives.”

For caregivers like Willy-Haff, and for Veterans like her father, outreach events may be their first introduction to VA. That is why it’s so important for VAPIHCS services and programs to participate. Events like the Suicide Prevention and Vaccine Event give everyone who attends the chance to see what is offered at VAPIHCS, which can motivate them to enroll in VA care. Veterans enrolled in VA care are less likely to die by suicide, and that’s why events like the one today are so important. 

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Flu Season is Here

Veterans should call 1-800-214-1306 to make an appointment to get their flu shot. If they already have an appointment scheduled, they should make sure to ask about flu shots when they come. Veterans on the island of Oahu can attend the walk-in flu shot clinics at the Spark Matsunaga Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. HST, or at the Daniel K. Akaka VA Clinic between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. HST to get their flu shots.

For Veterans who got vaccinated in the community, the VAPIHCS Pharmacy has a vaccination update hotline, which will assist in adding flu vaccination documentation into patient records. The number for this hotline is 808-433-4979. Veterans can leave a message stating their name, the last four digits of their social security number, the date that they were vaccinated, and the location. 

Please get vaccinated this flu season to help protect yourself and your community!