Collaborative suicide prevention program for veterans and families

The Department of Counseling in the College of Education, together with Portage Path Behavioral Health, is offering a Suicide Prevention Workshop for military personnel, veterans, reservists, and their families and friends.  |  Download flyer
 
The Veterans Administration estimates that a veteran dies by suicide every 80 minutes in the United States. Out of this alarming statistic, Ohio has the number one suicide rate. As the war in Afghanistan and Iraq comes to an end, and the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines come home, there is a great need to shed light on the topic of veteran suicides in the United States.
 
The workshops, which are FREE of charge, will focus on identification and reduction of risk factors such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, substance abuse and promoting help-seeking behavior. Focus also will be on stigma reduction in seeking help and accessing services and helping participants recognize when an individual is having thoughts of suicide, what they can do about it and what resources are available.

Workshop dates:

• Saturday, Oct. 27
• Saturday, Nov. 10

According to the research literature (Johnson, 2002), it is important to involve veteran’s families when dealing with suicidal ideations, as they serve a double duty of addressing the veteran’s suicidal ideations within the context of strengthening the family cohesion and supportiveness.

Each workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Martin University Center. Registration will be from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Light refreshments will be served.

To RSVP, call ext. (330) 972-7779 or e-mail cmt51@uakron.edu.