The Service Members, Veterans, and Military Affiliated Families work group’s goal is to protect, respect, and connect by building resilience, wellness, and connections.
Take the Pledge to Prevent Suicide for Service Members, Veterans and Military Families
I publicly pledge to do my part to help change the conversation around mental health and suicide by:
- Publicly committing to and coordinating efforts on ending service member, veteran, and military family suicide in El Paso County
- Working to increase and promote suicide prevention collaboration among military and veteran serving organizations
- Encouraging suicide prevention training for all military and veteran serving organizations
- Supporting and promote lethal means safety initiatives
- Contributing to efforts to provide suicide loss survivor resources to all impacted by suicide
- Using appropriate language and safe messaging practices regarding suicide
- Sharing social media messages from the Suicide Prevention Collaborative of El Paso County and/or promote Collaborative activities across social media channels.
By signing this pledge, I understand that suicide prevention is a national, state and local public health challenge and that everyone has a role to play. I am committed to increasing awareness of mental health challenges and suicide prevention practices to reduce suicide in El Paso County. My name and organization will be listed along with those who have taken the pledge.
People who have taken the pledge
Kathryn Dosch, M.Ed, LPC, NCC
Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience at UCCS
Duane K.L. France, MA, MBA, LPC
Family Care Center
Kate Hatten
Home Front Military Network
Tami Hopman
VA National Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
Jessica-Rose Johnson
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, Service Members Veterans and Families Technical Assistance Center
Nicole Johnston
Suicide Prevention Collaborative of El Paso County
Ben Lloyd
KOAA News 5
Bob McLaughlin
Mt Carmel Veteran Service Center
Maya Ploss
National Alliance on Mental Health
Venkat Reddy
UCCS
Dr. Erik Wallace, MD
Chair, Lethal Means Safety Work Group, Suicide Prevention Collaborative of El Paso County
Resources:
> Veterans Crisis Line
ALWAYS available 24/7 for crisis support for Veterans or someone who is concerned about a Veteran.
1-800-273-8255 + Press 1
Text any word to 838255
Online chat via VeteransCrisisLine.net
> Rocky Mountain Crisis Line
A Colorado-specific crisis line that is available 24/7.
1-844-493-8255
Text TALK to 38255
> Operation Veterans Strong
Find tips and tools for everything from your mental and physical health, to relationships and finding balance.
> National Strategy in Preventing Veteran Suicide (PDF)
> Together with Veterans Suicide Prevention Model
> Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA has partnered with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to bring the Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenges to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families to states and communities across the Nation.