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Monteith LL, Wendleton L, Bahraini NH, Matarazzo BB, Brimner G, Mohatt NV. Together With Veterans: VA National Strategy Alignment and Lessons Learned from Community-Based Suicide Prevention for Rural Veterans. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2020; 50:588-600. [PMID: 31950557 DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rural veterans are at increased risk for dying by suicide compared with urban veterans, yet interventions for preventing suicide among rural veterans have been limited. OBJECTIVES (1) Describe how Together With Veterans (TWV), a community-based intervention to prevent suicide among veterans in rural communities, aligns with the VA National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide; (2) share lessons learned while beginning to implement TWV in rural communities. METHODS Together With Veterans is being implemented in four rural communities and comprises six suicide prevention best practices: (1) reducing stigma and promoting help-seeking; (2) lethal means safety, with an emphasis on firearms; (3) gatekeeper training; (4) training primary care providers; (5) improving access to crisis services; and (6) enhancing support for high-risk veterans. RESULTS Together With Veterans best practices align with most, but not all, of the strategies in the VA National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide. Community veteran partners have shown a willingness to collaborate and provide local leadership, enthusiasm, and a sense of duty. CONCLUSIONS By supporting and facilitating local veteran leaders and their community partners in increasing suicide prevention knowledge, public awareness, and resources, we propose that TWV offers an acceptable and feasible approach that builds on the strengths of rural communities. Systematic evaluation is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey L Monteith
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Leah Wendleton
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Nazanin H Bahraini
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Bridget B Matarazzo
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Gina Brimner
- Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Behavioral Health Program, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Nathaniel V Mohatt
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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