Veterans Suicide Prevention Conference

It was an honor and privilege to help plan, prepare, and emcee our 2022 Veterans Suicide Prevention Conference. The military, veterans, and their families have been a part of my life for 25 years, and I believe that helped remind me why every minute of this process was worth it.

Our conference focused on bringing organizations together to discuss how Suicide Prevention Coalitions function and how they relate to Strategy 4 of the Suicide Prevention Plan for Ohio (2020-2022), Lethal Means Safety & Community Based Interventions for Suicide, Life Side Ohio, and the importance of the Ohio Cares website.

It’s a fact:

Suicide among military personnel is at a crisis level. Though we’ve come a long way in learning how to recognize the signs and what to do to help, we need to do more even faster. This means stepping up the effort to integrate suicide prevention practices within military culture, coordinating the effort to connect those in need to life-saving resources, and promoting greater awareness of mental health and suicide.

Conference Topics

They concentrate the community’s focus on a particular problem, encourage alliances, and create consistency in the community’s approach to the root causes of suicide. Together, members of a coalition can do more to reduce suicides, support grieving families, and inspire change in the world around them than if they work by themselves.

• OSPF coalitions are made up of 70+ coalition leaders across Ohio who represent their local county coalition group
• OSPF coalitions build and strengthen community awareness surrounding suicide prevention and postvention in Ohio
• OSPF coalitions meet bi-monthly to address statewide suicide prevention and postvention areas of concern
• OSPF coalitions engage in bi-monthly training provided by expert coalition trainers to strengthen and sustain coalition work

Additional information about coalitions can be found on the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) website’s coalitions tab.

The data discussed in this One-Pager is now outdated since the 2020 report was published. However, the tips and advice are still relevant. Please reference the 2021 report.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation collaborates with the Ohio Army National Guard, the Ohio Governor’s Challenge Team, OhioCares, the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and veteran-related community partners to help bridge the gap between individuals serving in the military and those having left military service, while striving to educate, advocate, and connect them with the necessary resources to facilitate their mental health needs.

If you are having suicidal thoughts

• Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
• Call your mental health specialist.
• Call a suicide hotline number – 988
• National Suicide Prevention Line
• Seek help from your primary care provider.
• Reach out to a close friend or loved one.

Sebastian Junger Books