Project Summary
An estimated 22 veterans die from suicide each day. Currently, there is no known regional infrastructure allowing stakeholder collaboration and engagement about protective factors in suicide prevention. The purpose of this Tier I Pipeline to Proposal contract work is to identify protective factors to reduce future suicides through engaging veterans, their friends and family members, and service providers. During the nine-month Tier I contract, monthly activities will be conducted. In Months One–Two, we will build regional relationships with veterans, friends and family, and service providers. In Months Three–Five, we will hold monthly meetings with each of the three stakeholder groups to gather information on protective factors for suicide. In Months Six–Eight, we will identify community partners and key stakeholders who will compose an executive partnership team (EPT). The EPT will meet bimonthly and use prioritized key issues uncovered during the stakeholder meetings and integrate this information into the assessment work plan. The EPT will conduct a needs assessment to clarify problems, and begin developing and implementing a feasible and applicable solution for future actions. Thereafter, a capacity assessment will be conducted to identify strengths, challenges, and establish capacity building goals related to protective factors for suicide. In Month Nine, we will formalize the Veteran’s Suicide Protection Advisory Group. Advisory members will draft plans on future activities, inform stakeholders on progress, collate the protective factors identified, and disseminate this information to stakeholders. The group’s work on identifying protective factors will lead to a stakeholder-veteran–based suicide prevention and intervention model useful in future comparative effectiveness research.
VIDEO (below): Reducing Veteran Suicide in the United States
This Pipeline to Proposal award engages veterans and other key stakeholders to identify protective factors to help reduce suicide in this population.