Twenty-two Veterans of all eras commit suicide each day. That is an ugly fact that breaks my heart every time I read it.
September is Suicide Awareness Month. The Veterans Health Administration and Department of Defense are launching the “Power of 1” campaign.
The campaign emphasizes the effect that just one person, one conversation, or one act can have on the life of a Veteran or Service Member by offering hope and opening the door to support.
Sometimes when we suspect a Veteran or Service Member in our lives may be going through a crisis we are unsure how to help. We all have the power to take the first step, to reach out, to find time in the day to talk with the Veterans close to us to find out how they are doing.
It takes only a moment and just one small act can start them down the path to getting the support they need.
Taking that first step with someone in crisis can prove daunting, but the Veterans Crisis Line offers support for those concerned about a loved one. One call, one chat or one text can open the door to hope.
The VETERANS CRISIS LINE number is 1-800-273-8255 (press 1).
Make sure you press 1 so the call gets routed to the VA counselors. This crisis line is for family members as well as Veterans and Active Duty Military.
The Hines VA will be hosting special activities throughout the month of September.
At noon on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, they will be hosting a film screening of the Crisis Hotline in Building 1, F157 (Medical Media Theater). There will be a Suicide Prevention Information Table in the main lobby of Building 228 from 11AM to 1PM every Wednesday in September.
On Sept. 24, an Art Event will be held from 9AM to 3PM in the winter garden (between Buildings 12 & 13). This art event will utilize various mediums. Local Veterans and VA staff express what it means to them to lose our Veterans to suicide.
For further information regarding these events or the Veterans Crisis Line, you can call Anita Carmona Caravelli, LCSW, at (708) 202-4096.
