VA Chief of Staff Visits Wilmington VA for Mental Health Summit on World Suicide Prevention Day

On World Suicide Prevention Day Ms. Margaret Kabat, Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs stood in a room filled with suicide prevention community partners for Delaware’s Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Summit, Sept. 10, 2024 at Riverfront Events in Wilmington, Del.

“It’s fitting that I am here to meet with you all in September, National Suicide Prevention Month because to end Veteran homelessness and the national tragedy of Veteran suicide, we must work together to be successful,” said Ms. Kabat.

The 14th annual Military and Veterans Mental Health Summit’s theme this year was Unraveling the Web of Homelessness and focused on bringing together Veterans, providers, and community members to learn about suicide prevention and the impact of homelessness within the military and veteran community. 

According to the VA’s Suicide Prevention Annual Report, in 2021, there were 46,412 suicides among U.S. adults. These included 6,392 suicides among Veterans which is 114 more than in 2020 and 40,020 among non-Veterans which is 2,000 more than in 2020. 

“One Veteran suicide is one too many,” said Wilmington VA director Vamsee Potluri. “The Wilmington VA behavioral health teams in Delaware and southern New Jersey have provided mental health services to over 10,500 Veterans totaling over 84,000 interactions this fiscal year. Preventing Veteran suicide is one of our top clinical priorities.”

In fact, the VA instituted a new policy in January 2023 for eligible Veterans in acute suicidal crisis to have access to VA or non-VA emergency health care. Within the first year, 49,714 Veterans were able to take advantage of this policy and receive suicide preventative care.

“Right now, we’re providing more care and more benefits to more Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors than ever before,” said Kabat. “That’s really important because a Veteran with a solid education and a good job is less likely to be at risk of homelessness, experience the sense of hopelessness and isolation that may lead to suicide.”

This can be seen with U.S. Army Veteran James Jackson who also spoke at the Mental Health Summit. Jackson recently graduated from the Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing Program at the Wilmington VA Medical Center after celebrating being sober for more than five years.

"The program helped me get away from the environment I was in," said Jackson. "Being able to survive on my own with the program, pay my bills, and get food helped me work on myself. Anytime I hit a bump, I could call my case worker."

Other keynote speakers were Steven Tillman the National Director for Healthcare for Homeless Veterans, Wilmington VA Suicide Prevention Supervisory Social Worker Jackie Tomasetti and Wilmington VA Homeless and Justice Programs Supervisor Cecilia Gonzalez.

Learn more about VA Suicide Prevention programs visit https://www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/mental-health/suicide-prevention/

If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7 confidential support. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. To reach responders, dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.