VA Eastern Colorado summit aims to prevent Veteran suicide
PRESS RELEASE
September 19, 2023
Aurora , CO — In support of Suicide Prevention Month, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) will host a summit Sept. 22 in Aurora, offering lifesaving practices and resources to support anyone who may encounter a Veteran who is struggling.
VA ECHCS Suicide Prevention Summit Day is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center at 1700 North Wheeling St. in Aurora. Veterans, along with friends, family members and community leaders will gather in the auditorium.
“Preventing suicide among our nation’s Veterans is the VA’s highest clinical priority,” said Michael Kilmer, VA ECHCS director. “We are grateful for the advocates and community leaders who partner with us to keep it a top priority in our communities.”
“Suicide is preventable and there is hope,” said Kilmer. “We believe suicide prevention is everyone’s job—it’s a community effort—and this event offers the tools and resources needed to save a life.”
After opening remarks by Kilmer then Benjamin Kremer, VA ECHCS licensed clinical social worker and suicide prevention program manager, participants will transition to suicide prevention training until 10 a.m.
The VA training will teach important steps to suicide prevention based on the SAVE acronym: Signs of suicidal thinking, asking the important question, validating a Veteran’s experience and encouraging treatment and expediting help.
From 10-11 a.m., Crystal Tabor, VA ECHCS lead peer support specialist, will talk about how Veterans help Veterans by tapping into shared experiences and personal stories.
A resource fair and walk-and-roll event will take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., followed by a presentation by Dr. Patricia Russell, VA health science specialist at Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention.
Russell will discuss community-based suicide prevention, which encourages families, friends and neighbors to screen for suicide risk, promote connectedness, improve care transitions, increase lethal means safety awareness and use safety plans.
During the culminating event from 2-3 p.m., Dr. Anne-Claire Thomas, VA clinical pharmacy specialist, will host a viewing of “The Art of Medicine: Suicide Prevention,” which is a conversation about suicide prevention with medical providers.
“Our message to Veterans, and those who support them, is don’t wait, reach out,” said Kilmer. “Asking for help isn’t always easy but Veterans are trained to do difficult things.”
For the day’s agenda, as well as VA suicide prevention events across Colorado, visit MIRECC.VA.gov/visn19/suicide-prevention-month/2023.asp.
To find public service announcements created by VA and Ad Council, as part of the national Don’t Wait, Reach Out campaign, visit VA.gov/Reach.
If a Veteran is experiencing thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention, which is available 24/7. Dial 988 then press 1, text 838255 or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
For more information, contact the VA ECHCS public affairs office at vhaechpao@va.gov.
Terri Clinton, Public Affairs Officer
720-422-7382