Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
The Department of Veterans Affairs is offering several steps in the VA’s ongoing fight to prevent Veteran suicide — including awarding $1.8 million in grants to community organizations implementing tailored suicide prevention programs and services for Veterans and their families in Arizona.
Also, an additional $2.4 million to organizations that serve Veterans in numerous states, including Arizona, representatives of the VA tell the Digital Free Press.
Through its Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, the VA is awarding a total of $52.5 million this fiscal year to 85 organizations across 41 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico to fund services in fiscal year 2025, according to a press release.
The VA prioritizes awards for organizations that focus on providing services in rural communities, Tribal lands, U.S. territories, medically underserved areas, areas with a high number or percentage of minority Veterans or women Veterans, and areas with a high number or percentage of calls to the Veterans Crisis Line.
These grants are a part of VA’s national strategy for preventing veteran suicide and the Biden-Harris administration’s strategy to reduce military and Veteran suicide. Since 2021, VA has worked aggressively to expand support for Veterans in crisis, including offering no-cost emergency suicide prevention care, launching Dial 988 then Press 1 to streamline Veterans’ access to the Veterans Crisis Line, expanding firearm suicide prevention efforts, and more.
“It takes all of us, working together, to prevent Veteran suicide,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “By working together with these organizations in the community, we’ll be able to save more lives and get one step closer to our goal of ensuring that no Veteran is ever alone in their time of need.”
If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7 confidential support. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. To reach responders, Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.
