Suicide prevention
If you're a Veteran who is thinking of hurting yourself—or you know a Veteran who’s considering this—we can help. Our Sheridan VA Health Care System suicide prevention coordinators can get you the support you need. They work with our behavioral health providers and community organizations to assist Veterans who are managing emotional or mental health crises.
How do I talk to someone right now?
If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, connect with our caring, qualified Veterans Crisis Line responders for confidential help. Many of them are Veterans themselves. This service is private, free, and available 24/7.
To connect with a Veterans Crisis Line responder anytime day or night:
- Call 988 and select 1.
- Start a confidential chat.
- Text 838255.
- For TTY, call 711 then 988.
You can also:
- Call 911.
- Go to the nearest emergency room.
- Go directly to your nearest VA medical center. It doesn’t matter what your discharge status is or if you’re enrolled in VA health care.
Find your nearest VA medical center
Connect with a care coordinator
Our suicide prevention coordinators can help you get ongoing support, like counseling and other services. Coordinators are available during regular business hours.
Kevin Parker LPMHC
Suicide Prevention Coordinator
VA Sheridan health care
Phone:
Care we provide at Sheridan VA
- Suicide prevention care coordinators
- Suicide prevention case managers
- Gun safety locks
- S.A.V.E. training and other training programs by request of the site/service within VA and at a community level
- Community outreach activities
Community engagement and partnership coordinator
Our Suicide Prevention Community Engagement & Partnerships Coordinator (CEPC) serves as the content matter expert for community-based suicide prevention initiatives and helps with suicide prevention education throughout the community. CEPCs build community-led coalitions that focus on suicide prevention and education. They can speak to your organization about suicide prevention and provide free resources and training opportunities.
Kayla Stephens LCSW
Community Engagement & Partnerships Coordinator
VA Sheridan health care
Phone:
What would you do to end Veteran suicide?
There are Veterans in our community who need someone to talk and may not reach out to us. While we want to be a resource for all of them, it's MUCH MORE IMPORTANT to us they get help when they need it. Who can give that help? Our Wyoming community members.
That's why we started asking bars to give out special coasters (which we provide) to their patrons. They have a cool graphic on the front with information for the Veterans Crisis Line. However, on the back they have a BIG ASK.
The "Big Ask"
The text includes a request the holder of coaster saves the Veterans Crisis Line information in their phone and, most importantly, that they use the coaster in a social media post to share the message that if any Veteran in their circles ever needs someone to reach out to they could "Reach Out to Me."
Heavy right? Maybe even a bit scary... but that's what we need. Individuals who are willing to step up and put themselves out there to help a Veteran if they're in crisis. Luckily those individuals don't have to do it alone, because the Veterans Crisis Line is a 24/7 resource for ANYONE who is concerned about a Veteran in crisis. That's right. ANYONE can use it (phone, text, or online chat) if they are concerned about a Veteran and don't know what to do.
Our suicide prevention team then also offers training to the bar staff, so they know what to do if they're concerned about someone, whether Veteran or not. This campaign is about Veterans, but our Wyoming community members need help.
Want to learn more about our #ReachOut2Me Campaign?
Check out this 3-minute video on YouTube: