HAMPTON, Va. — Governor Ralph Northam announced a new pilot program to help prevent suicide and close gaps in access to care for service members, veterans and their families.
The Virginia Identify, Screen, and Refer Pilot will help leaders find veterans in the community and connect them to services, all to drive down the number of vets who die by suicide.
Executive Director of the Hampton VA David Collins said it takes a team focus.
“We have been trying to make a dent in this number for years and it goes down slowly,” Collins said.
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There are 200,000 veterans in the Hampton Roads area. The Hampton VA treats 58,000 veterans in our area. Out of 20 possible suicides a day, only six are registered and seen at VA health centers.
“There's still 14 a day who are in the community that we don't have access to, so this allows us access to them,” Collins said.
The Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide team is working with different agencies who are voluntarily stepping up without additional resources for these veterans and their families. Collins said it's a challenge.
“We focus on educating the population, what to do, how do you get them services, how do you get them connected to the places that can take care of them,” Collins said.
The program will address the following issues, among others:
Cultural Competency: Enhancing cultural awareness and communication between military-related and civilian healthcare providers. Only 8 percent of behavioral health providers who are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or TRICARE medical systems report having high military cultural competency, according to a RAND report.
Education: Increasing awareness among community providers about the number of SMVF they are serving and the resources available to them.
Efficiency: Reducing duplicative efforts and gaps in community programs and services resulting from a lack of collaboration.
VISR Pilot participants include:
Hospitals:
Augusta Health
Ballad Health Clearview
Ballad Health Ridgeview
Carilion Clinic
Dominion
John Randolph
Lewis Gale
Mary Washington/Snowden at Fredericksburg
Novant Health
Poplar Springs
Sentara Norfolk
Sentara Virginia Beach
University of Virginia
Virginia Beach Psychiatric
Williamsburg Place (The Pavilion and Farley Center)
Community Services Boards:
Alleghany Highlands Community Services
Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare
Eastern Shore Community Services Board
Goochland Powhatan Community Services Board
Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services
Middle Peninsula–Northern Neck Community Services Board
Mount Rogers Community Services Board
New River Valley Community Services
Piedmont Community Services
Rappahannock Area Community Services Board
Richmond Behavioral Health Authority
Valley Community Services Board
Western Tidewater Community Services Board
Virginia Department of Social Services and social services departments in the following localities:
Chesterfield-Colonial Heights
Hampton
Hanover
Hopewell
Middlesex
New Kent
Virginia Department of Health and the following local health districts:
Cumberland Plateau
Lenowisco
Lord Fairfax
New River
Piedmont
Virginia Department of Veterans Services (Virginia Veteran and Family Support Program; Benefits Services)
Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at The Up Center