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Suicide Prevention Starts with Conversations · Healthier Together: Larimer County's Public Health Podcast

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Today's episode contains discussions of suicide.
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Please listen with care. If you or someone you
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know are having thoughts of suicide, you can
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call or text 988 anytime, day or night to access
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free confidential support. Welcome to Healthier
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Together, Larimer County's public health podcast,
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where we come together for healthier lives, connected
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communities, and real conversations. From your
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local public health team, I'm your host, Tom.
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And I'm Joanna. September is National Suicide
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Prevention Month, and this week we're talking
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about suicide prevention and the work happening
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here in our community. We're joined by two guests
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from our local Veteran Affairs Office, Lauren
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Sinclair, Community Engagement and Partnerships
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Coordinator, and Shannon Teague, Suicide Prevention
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Coordinator. They're here to share what suicide
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prevention work looks like day -to -day and talk
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about steps we can all take to help prevent suicide
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in our community. Shannon and Lauren, thank you
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both so much for joining us. Thank you. Good
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morning. Good morning. Thank you. For listeners
1:04
who might not be familiar with the VA, can you
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explain what the VA is and talk about the work
1:09
that you do? So the Department of Veteran Affairs
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is a federal system that allows our military
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veterans to get health care benefits and services.
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And I currently work in our Suicide Prevention
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Coordination role. And essentially what that
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means is I work and focus with our veterans who
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are at higher risk for facing issues with suicidality.
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That could be everything from monitoring their
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care to ensuring that they're really being able
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to engage in mental health services, ensuring
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that they're getting enough appointments during
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times of acute crisis, making sure that also
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they're not just getting those appointments,
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but we're really able to. identify those resources
1:56
that potentially got them in those barriers to
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make sure that they're getting the right resources
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identified throughout the VA system and getting
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them care. And that could look like anything
2:06
from getting them a referral to like our homeless
2:08
services or substance use services or medical
2:12
services, as well as partnering with the Veterans
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Crisis Line. For anybody who doesn't know what
2:17
the Veterans Crisis Line is, that's our national
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988. And for our veterans, they can dial 988
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and press 1, and they're able to reach someone
2:26
24 hours a day, seven days a week, whether they're
2:30
in crisis or dealing with suicidality. And my
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department follows up with those calls the following
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day just to make sure that we're filling in any
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gaps outside of that initial crisis. My role
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is a little bit different in that although I
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am a VA employee and I am clinically licensed
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as a professional counselor, I work completely
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within our community as the Community Engagements
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and Partnership Coordinator. The VA places a
2:57
Suicide Prevention Coordinator at every VA medical
3:00
center to do clinical facility -based work. And
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I, as the CEPC, are community -facing counterparts.
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My job is almost entirely outside the clinical
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walls. I'm also not limited to the veteran population.
3:11
My role was created to also reach service members
3:14
and their veteran families. And I help to reach
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the places where they work, live. and who they
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interact with, whether that be family, friends,
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colleagues, or coworkers. Can you both share
3:25
what that suicide prevention work looks like
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sort of day to day? You mentioned some case management
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work, following up on crisis calls, community
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engagement work, but what does that kind of look
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like for you in your nine to five? So a good
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chunk of my mornings start with following up
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with any calls that came in from the previous
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night. And from there, I will reach out to the
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veteran. And if we're not able to reach out to
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him, we do, you know, we have a number of times
3:52
that we'll try and call over a certain amount
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of days. And outside of our crisis line, monitoring
3:58
the high -risk veterans for suicide is probably
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one of the main parts of my role. Essentially,
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if we have a veteran that has had an attempt
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for suicide or potentially at extreme high risk
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for suicide, we can make an overall assessment
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through looking at multiple factors in their
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medical record. to determine if they might require
4:20
additional support. It not only ensures that
4:23
the veteran's getting adequate mental health
4:25
care, but it also ensures we can follow up with
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safety planning with them for also making sure
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that they have access to additional resources
4:33
across the VA. As the coordinator, I'm able to
4:37
follow up via text or call or in person if need
4:41
be for that veteran to make sure that they feel
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safe and comfortable calling the VA. Nationally,
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the VA does have a public health focus to suicide
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prevention. And within that, we have three priority
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areas. The first being helping our community
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identify veterans, service members, and their
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families in our community. And the second prong
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to that is screening them for suicide. Screening
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for suicide is a prevention method that is highlighted
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in many different community -based programs.
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And we at the VA also follow that public health
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direction. The second priority area is connecting
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veterans to care and connecting them to their
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community. This looks like helping community
5:20
organizations after they've identified veterans,
5:23
how that they can create spaces for them within
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their programs, screening them for suicide, or
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connecting them to meaningful activities, work,
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or community -based care. Veterans do have a
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choice on where they receive care. And if they
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choose to receive that in the community, part
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of my role is educating community providers on...
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risk and protective factors as it relates to
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veterans and their family members and service
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members, as well as other resources and services
5:48
that they may not be aware of that either exist
5:50
in the community or at the VA. The third area
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is we focus on lethal means safety and safety
5:56
planning. This looks like targeting interventions
5:59
to firearm secure storage or securely storing
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any type of lethal means that may be utilized
6:06
in part of a plan for suicide, such as medication
6:08
or a firearm. We also encourage safety planning.
6:12
Most individuals are equipped after they take
6:15
some basic gatekeeper trainings to be able to
6:17
screen and ask someone about suicide, help refer
6:20
them to resources or help in their area, as well
6:23
as create a very basic safety plan. We also believe
6:27
that prevention occurs at three different areas.
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We obviously have primary prevention, stopping
6:33
a crisis before it starts. So connecting. people
6:36
to their community and mean safety norms to help
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prevent that crisis from ever occurring. And
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then we have that secondary prevention, which
6:45
is identifying the risk early and intervening.
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And then tertiary, after maybe a crisis has occurred,
6:51
where there's crisis response and care after
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maybe there's a death or care after receiving
6:58
services from a inpatient hospitalization. This
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shows up for us nationally in our National Strategy
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for Preventing Veterans Suicide, the Veterans
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Crisis Line, which is 988 -PRESS -1. It's also
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evident in some of our state organizations through
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our Governors and Mayor Challenge partnerships.
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And then we have a strong emphasis in our local
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Larimer County Public Health Office. So one of
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my jobs is to create information and awareness
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about those services at the VA. So if veterans
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are in need of services and help, They know they
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have a place that they can go and reach out for
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it. This also includes providing information
7:34
about the Compact Act, which is a act that allows
7:39
veterans to receive emergency crisis care within
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their community at no cost. and educating ERs
7:46
and hospitals and other organizations that this
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exists so that we can reduce and limit barriers
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for them when reaching out and requesting services
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or help. Who all can access VA mental health
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care and suicide prevention resources through
8:00
the VA? When it comes to VA care, there are different
8:03
types of eligibility factors, but essentially
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any veteran that has any type of discharge status
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other than a dishonorable discharge when it comes
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to mental health services for suicidality can
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engage in care. I do think it's important to
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point out that any person, any veteran can always
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access emergency care through the VA system period.
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However, they may get transferred out if they
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have a dishonorable discharge to our community
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partner. The Compact Act is a really great thing
8:34
that the VA started just a few years ago and
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not only allows... veterans that have maybe other
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than honorable discharge or maybe they discharge
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early because of some type of mental health factor,
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but it allows them to not only get that acute
8:49
crisis response care, but they actually can utilize
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ambulance services at no cost. They can get up
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to 30 days of inpatient care, 90 days of outpatient
9:00
care, medication if they have to deal with that
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suicidal crisis at no cost to them. With mental
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health services, That's really become a huge
9:09
focus to make sure that our veterans are getting
9:13
the right resources. We also have, outside of
9:17
the Compact Act, we have different eligibility
9:19
criteria for mental health services, for emergency
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mental health resources, where they can also
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get up to 90 days of mental health resources
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free. And those can be reviewed and extended
9:31
for each. individual situation as well. So when
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we talk about suicide prevention, the VA is one
9:37
component of a larger network of organizations
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that are doing this kind of work to basically
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address this issue. I am curious, though, what
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kind of partners do you work with in Larimer
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County? Are there specific agencies that you
9:49
guys partner with? Yeah, we work with a variety
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of community partners, community mental health
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centers providing crisis and outpatient care,
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county sheriff's office and local law enforcement.
10:00
as well as CIT -trained officers, the coroner's
10:03
office, local suicide prevention coalitions,
10:07
veteran service organizations such as the VFW,
10:10
the American Legion, and our county service officers,
10:13
FFLs and gun shops that participate in voluntary
10:16
secure storage, faith communities, schools and
10:20
universities, as well as our hospital systems
10:22
and our emergency room departments. And then
10:25
we also work with the Veterans Service Officer
10:28
out of Larimer County as well. That office is
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really important. And if anyone has a question
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about eligibility, services, or what they need
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as a veteran, they're a great first stop. And
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I would encourage every veteran to get very familiar
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with our Veterans Service Office. We also have
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a Larimer County Veterans Coalition, and we meet
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as a collective of the community to share resources
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and information. as well as create strategies
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and plans throughout the year to help improve
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veterans' lives here in Larimer County. We put
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on a symposium, and we call it Mission Reconnect,
11:06
and that draws in a number of veterans and community
11:09
partners to provide education, learning opportunities,
11:13
and resources to veterans. Some other really
11:15
important people that provide veteran services
11:18
is Healing Warriors that do non -narcotic. pain
11:23
management through acupuncture, healing touch,
11:26
and craniosacral therapy. They also have a huge
11:30
part in suicide prevention where they offer screening
11:32
and services for family members as well if they
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have questions. And then we have Health for Heroes.
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There are a number of partners, and I don't want
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to leave anyone out, but these are all really
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important people who are servicing our community.
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And most of the time, the way in which we're
11:48
connecting and strategically aligning is through
11:50
this coalition work. Another organization that
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just came to mind is Qualified Listeners, which
11:55
is a really helpful organization for veterans.
11:58
One of our largest challenges in the community
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is transportation. Many veterans either do not
12:05
drive or cannot drive. And getting to appointments
12:08
or to resources and meeting with people or even
12:12
just connecting with their community can be really
12:14
challenging. And qualified listeners, they offer
12:16
transportation, connection, peer support in a
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way that allows these veterans and their family
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members to kind of expand outside their nucleus
12:25
back into their community. If anyone is providing
12:29
services to veterans or wants to be able to reach
12:32
more veterans, maybe they don't focus on veterans
12:34
and their families or service members, part of
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my role is helping to get them there, consulting
12:40
with them, helping them reach those veterans.
12:43
That way in which our community can be robust
12:45
in the resources that we're offering both at
12:48
the VA and in the community. I'm curious what
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the continuum of care looks like for somebody
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who's struggling with these suicidal thoughts.
12:55
It's an ongoing coordination through joint trainings,
12:58
shared data through our fatality reviews, co
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-hosting community events, referral relationships,
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and just showing up consistently enough that
13:07
our partners call you before a crisis, not just
13:10
during one. This also looks like making sure
13:13
that veterans and their families are represented
13:14
in the community health improvement plans, resource
13:17
guides, and that there's accurate evidence -based
13:20
information on veterans and veteran resources
13:24
and services. We do partner and work really closely
13:27
with our local ERs as well as hospital systems
13:30
and inpatient facilities. We have a position
13:33
at our facility that is dedicated to this. Her
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name is Jennifer Amidon, and she is an angel.
13:39
She helps with all of our crisis care transfer
13:41
coordination, as well as anyone who's looking
13:44
to kind of transfer from that inpatient care
13:46
that may have been on the community side into
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the VA. She's going to work with those hospitals,
13:51
and she has a relationship with every single
13:53
hospital from all the way up to the top of Wyoming
13:57
to eastern Colorado and into South Dakota. If
14:01
a veteran is in the community and they're just
14:03
going through that continuum of care in the community
14:05
and they're a veteran and they don't want to
14:07
come to the VA, They absolutely can do that as
14:10
well. Colorado does have some laws and regulations
14:13
in place that requires follow -up following an
14:16
inpatient hospitalization stay. Organizations
14:19
like the Alliance for Suicide Prevention, who
14:21
is someone we also partner with, they also help
14:24
with caring contacts and following those inpatient
14:27
hospitalizations, as well as helping them reach
14:29
resources in the community, such as therapists
14:31
or even non -traditional care that can assist
14:34
with suicidal crisis or ideations of suicide
14:38
or just overall well -being and mental health.
14:40
Things like beekeeping programs or peer support
14:43
programs or gardening programs, things of which
14:46
that we know reduce the isolation and loneliness
14:49
that are main contributors to suicidal ideation.
14:52
We also have some veterans who go through that
14:56
continuum of care and they say they want a community
15:00
care provider. There are opportunities for them
15:02
to engage in that as well. whether that be through
15:05
the Compact Act or from a referral from the VA
15:08
if they can't be seen in a timely manner at that
15:10
VA. And we work with those community care providers
15:13
through our coalitions to help and encourage
15:16
them to take on veteran clients if they are hesitant,
15:19
provide them with training and education about
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the community care program, screening for suicide,
15:25
as well as services that are open and available
15:27
to them. The other thing that is a really helpful
15:31
in our continuum of care. is the 988 -PRESS -1
15:34
for veterans. So this is the veteran crisis line
15:37
that we discussed earlier. Oftentimes, we think
15:40
that we have to be in an immediate crisis to
15:42
utilize that number, and we don't. You could
15:44
have questions about programs in your area or
15:47
resources, and you could call that line and talk
15:51
to someone. You could also call that line and
15:53
talk to another veteran who we call peer support
15:55
specialist on that line that may have been where
15:58
you are that can help provide information, education.
16:01
Whatever it might be to help you through that
16:03
crisis that you might be experiencing. And you
16:06
don't have to be a veteran to call that line.
16:08
So this is something that helps us in that continuum.
16:12
At any point, if somebody has a question, they
16:14
can utilize that line to call. One additional
16:17
resource we have, especially for some of our
16:19
combat vets that they utilize and we partner
16:21
with them here in suicide prevention is our vet
16:25
centers. It's an additional resource that veterans
16:27
can access out in the community. It's separate
16:30
from the VA. But we do partner with them when
16:32
they're in crisis. That sounds like there's a
16:34
lot of resources and effort put towards this
16:38
continuum of care. Where do you guys typically
16:41
see some of the gaps? Or I guess you kind of
16:44
touched on this a little bit with just the hesitancy
16:46
maybe some veterans have reaching out for care.
16:49
Is that one of the biggest hurdles that you guys
16:51
see or are there others? Yeah, I definitely think
16:55
and I can speak to this myself just being a veteran,
16:58
you know, I think there's a huge stigma. When
17:00
it comes to getting services, whether that be
17:03
medical or mental health, when you're first getting
17:05
out of the service, you're being trained to go
17:08
to war and then you get out and you're trying
17:10
to transition back to understanding what that
17:13
looks like now that you're in a civilian world.
17:15
So I think first and foremost, it's just really
17:18
identifying that with them to help them understand
17:21
that it is okay to seek help and that you're
17:23
not alone, because I think that that definitely
17:25
can be hard to reach out and ask for that initial
17:29
help. Sometimes, and I think Lauren kind of touched
17:32
on it earlier, a lot of veterans, they're not
17:34
aware of that access to care. So I do think that
17:36
that's where some of those gaps can fall is just
17:40
understanding that they do have access to care.
17:43
And then once they've identified that they have
17:46
access to care, helping them feel comfortable
17:49
with broaching, transitioning from that military
17:53
where we don't maybe have time to take care of
17:56
all those needs because we're in a different
17:58
situation. To now being in a civilian capacity
18:01
and being able to bridge that gap and that stigma
18:05
and having a better understanding and also just
18:09
feeling like they're not by themselves. Yeah,
18:11
I think what Shannon's describing is the stigma
18:13
that veterans experience, whether that be the
18:16
stigma of I'm feeling this way and I don't think
18:20
I should be. And so feeling fearful of reaching
18:22
out. And there's also a stigma of. the type of
18:26
care that they want to receive and being fearful
18:30
that they won't receive the care that they want
18:32
or need. I think also many people are hesitant
18:35
to reach out for help because it can be scary.
18:37
You don't know what's going to happen next. And
18:39
so we talk about that process. We talk about
18:41
how you can talk about suicide with someone and
18:47
that doesn't necessarily lead directly to a hospitalization,
18:50
right? Our own Larimer County's co -responder
18:54
team They respond to many, many crises within
18:57
our community and the county, and less than half
19:00
of them result in hospitalizations. Another gap
19:03
that I see in our community, and the VA can address
19:06
this, is services and help for family members
19:09
and children of veterans. You know, they're often
19:11
within the mix of the same experiences that a
19:15
veteran may have had in service, whether that
19:17
being witness to somebody with a mental health
19:19
condition or physical ailment or dealing with
19:23
being a caregiver. of someone with disabilities,
19:26
or just being a loved one to someone and you're
19:28
not too sure how to help them or to help them
19:32
receive services and access, providing services
19:35
that help veteran spouses, partners, parents,
19:38
and children also address their needs for mental
19:41
health to help them also as a family unit and
19:45
not just the veteran. I think an additional gap,
19:47
and I think the Compact Act has really been something
19:50
amazing that's starting to bridge that gap is
19:53
You know, in the past, there have been times
19:55
where a veteran could go to the hospital community
19:57
and we're not always aware. We're not aware that
20:00
they are in the hospital, so we're not able to
20:02
get them that appropriate follow -up care. So
20:04
I think it's been really great having the Compact
20:07
Act and having someone to bridge that in between.
20:10
It not only allows that veteran for us to know
20:14
that they're in the hospital, but also just allows
20:16
the community to know what all resources the
20:19
VA has. We've been focused primarily on the system
20:24
-wide sort of community -level approach to suicide
20:27
prevention. At the individual level, or people
20:32
who might be listening, are there steps that
20:33
each of us can take to help prevent suicide?
20:36
I think first and foremost is just talking to
20:39
each other. You know, a lot of times when someone's
20:41
in crisis, it really is just treating them like
20:44
a human being, meeting them where they're at
20:47
and listening. A conversation can go a long way.
20:51
Sometimes we think we have to have the answer,
20:53
but really what we need is just to be there to
20:56
be a support system and let that person just
21:00
kind of vent and talk about how they're feeling.
21:02
And I think that's a really good starting place,
21:04
especially if people don't feel comfortable,
21:07
you know, just being able to just start by listening.
21:11
Yeah, we always want to engage in connection,
21:13
right? So if you're suspecting that somebody
21:16
may be having thoughts of suicide or struggling
21:20
or just having any type of crisis, we do have
21:23
five action steps that are kind of easy to remember.
21:25
And if you're a veteran or a loved one of a veteran,
21:28
you know, we love a good, like, acronym or quick
21:31
task list. So this is what that is. The first
21:34
thing we're going to do is we're going to ask
21:36
directly, are you thinking about suicide? Direct
21:39
language does not plant the idea. It opens the
21:42
door for conversation. It's telling the other
21:44
person that this is not something you're scared
21:46
to talk about. And that is something that we
21:48
can and should discuss. The next thing is keep
21:51
them safe. We're going to ask as we're talking
21:54
with them and understanding what's going on,
21:56
if they have any access to lethal means. And
21:59
we're going to help reduce access during this
22:01
acute time. If they're going through a crisis
22:03
and they have access to a firearm, this may be
22:06
having discussions about secure storage of that
22:08
firearm or temporary off -site storage of that
22:10
firearm, either with a family member for up to
22:13
72 hours or with a local firearm shop. who may
22:16
be able to store that firearm for them longer.
22:19
The other thing is we don't want to pass any
22:22
judgment. So the next thing we're going to do
22:24
is just be present, listen, care with them. Don't
22:27
rush to fixing things. Don't try to provide advice
22:30
or diminish anything that they're going through.
22:34
Listen to what's going on and be there for them.
22:37
Next, we're going to help them connect. This
22:39
can be through a crisis line, a provider, or
22:42
a support person. My favorite thing to do is,
22:44
if they're open to it, calling that crisis line
22:47
with them and being able to take that phone call
22:51
together and let them know they're not alone.
22:53
And you can do that as a friend or as a partner
22:56
with them. And lastly, we're going to follow
22:59
up. Call or text a few days later after this
23:02
moment has passed. Check in with them. Like we
23:04
talked about before, there's a lot of stigma
23:06
around suicidal ideations or having a mental
23:10
health crisis. We really want to follow up with
23:12
these people, especially because they've done
23:15
something really brave in talking to you about
23:17
this. And so staying connected with them, following
23:20
up, being that support person, not just during
23:23
that crisis, but before and after. Even once
23:26
this moment has passed, reinforcing that with
23:30
them and that you're there for them is really
23:32
one of the most important things that we can
23:34
do. If you absolutely have no idea what to do,
23:37
the number two things is be there, be present,
23:39
talk with them. and know the crisis line. Are
23:43
there common warning signs when someone might
23:46
be struggling and could use some support that
23:49
could indicate that maybe you need to start that
23:51
conversation? There can be lots of different
23:53
warning signs. And in fact, there can also be
23:56
many, many, many warning signs and that same
23:59
person not think about suicide at all. And so
24:03
I say this to say that not one thing is diagnostic
24:06
and saying, if this is happening, you know, suicide
24:09
will be the product of that. But we definitely
24:12
want to be asking and talking to people because
24:14
we just don't know. And recognizing the pattern
24:18
and the context of where these things are happening,
24:21
right? Some really big things that we do know
24:24
that would be like really big red flags is isolation,
24:29
withdrawal, legal problems, and significant loss.
24:33
When we have a loss of a loved one, a loss of
24:35
a job, an opportunity. It can sometimes be really
24:41
big red flags that somebody is going to be going
24:44
through something that is emotionally, you know,
24:46
distraught for them and we want to check in with
24:49
them. So not one thing can lead to it and not
24:53
one thing is that, but usually a pattern, the
24:56
context of when it's happening. And we're going
24:58
to see sometimes multiples of these. You might
25:01
just see one. And that's why checking in is so
25:04
important. What are some ways people can build
25:06
their support network? before reaching that point
25:09
of a crisis in order to have those supports in
25:12
place? You know, things like building some of
25:14
those social networking, building some of those
25:16
groups. Lauren mentioned earlier, we do partner
25:19
with a lot of different nonprofits that have
25:21
simple things, hiking groups. We have fishing
25:24
groups. We have groups that build fly fishing
25:27
rods. I mean, we have the beehive thing. So starting
25:31
with just like building that social networking,
25:33
there's veteran breakfasts in many of the communities
25:35
where they get together. and they all just enjoy
25:38
a meal together. Recreational therapy, art therapy,
25:42
writing, or just doing something a little outside
25:45
their comfort zone. Maybe it's just getting out
25:48
and saying good morning to a few people a few
25:50
times a day. It doesn't necessarily always have
25:51
to be something grand, right? It really can be
25:55
something small. And those, I think, are really
25:57
good starting points just to try something new.
26:00
If someone listening feels like they wouldn't
26:03
know what to do or say if a friend came to them
26:06
in crisis, What steps can they take to feel more
26:09
prepared? There are a couple of things. Some
26:12
people might feel better by taking a gatekeeper
26:15
training such as QPR or VA SAVE. And others might
26:20
just like to have a conversation about how they
26:22
can start that conversation, right? What do I
26:25
say? How do I bring it up? And gatekeeper trainers
26:28
are really great for going over that as well
26:31
as talking about the evidence -based information
26:33
we have. on how this can help us prevent suicide,
26:37
as well as provide those with needs and services
26:40
who may be contemplating. But really, the first
26:42
thing is, is you want to keep it simple and compassionate,
26:46
right? I noticed you haven't been feeling yourself
26:48
lately. I care about you and I wanted to check
26:50
in. How are you doing? You know, just lead with
26:53
what you've observed, saying, I've noticed you
26:55
seem withdrawn. You didn't come out and hang
26:58
out with us. I'm worried about you. And then
27:00
you can always ask that question directly. I
27:02
think there's a lot of stigma around asking,
27:05
Have you been thinking about suicide or do you
27:06
have thoughts about suicide? And thinking it's
27:09
going to plant an idea. And we know through a
27:12
plethora of evidence over the course of about
27:15
20 to 30 years that it does not plant the idea.
27:18
And what it does do is it opens the door for
27:21
that conversation. Every year for my birthday,
27:24
I do a QPR training for my friends and we get
27:27
a trainer. And so that's also something we can
27:30
do, right? We can involve our loved ones and
27:32
our family with this information. I think it's
27:34
just important to you to know if there's ever
27:38
times where people are scared or they don't know
27:40
what to say or they're not sure, that's a really
27:43
great time to utilize that 98 .2. Family members
27:46
can call and just say, hey, I don't really know
27:48
what to do. Can I get resources? Lauren, you
27:51
mentioned QPR training. Can you tell us what
27:53
that is and who it's really for? QPR is a gatekeeper
27:56
training that stands for Question, Persuade,
28:00
Refer. And it is a... Kind of a simple evidence
28:05
-based training that teaches people how to recognize
28:07
the signs of crisis, engage in supportive conversations,
28:11
and then connect someone to care. Exactly what
28:14
we've been talking about today. Anyone can benefit
28:17
from this. Community members, family members,
28:20
coworkers, teachers, first responders, anyone
28:23
who wants to be able to help someone in need.
28:26
QPR is offered at a number of different community
28:30
mental health organizations, local coalitions.
28:33
Faith -based organizations and many sessions
28:36
are either free or low cost throughout the year.
28:39
And then we also have VA SAVE training, which
28:43
is the veteran version of QPR, essentially, which
28:47
talks more specifically about veterans, the veteran
28:49
population, and ways in which we can communicate
28:53
and talk with veterans, which may be slightly
28:55
different. But overall, just that same human
28:58
basis of being empathetic, not judging, not minimizing.
29:02
And knowing what resources are available to them
29:04
as well, that refer might look a little bit different
29:07
for some of our veterans because there are some
29:10
resources that they can have access to that others
29:12
don't, such as the VA or our veteran service
29:15
officers. Shannon and Lauren, you both briefly
29:18
spoke a little bit about the suicidality and
29:22
how firearms safety and things of that nature
29:28
kind of play into suicide prevention. Can you
29:30
tell us a little bit more about how firearm safety
29:33
kind of plays into the suicide prevention? You
29:37
know, firearm safety and lethal means safety
29:40
is another name you might hear for it, is really
29:42
a key part of suicide prevention. Reducing access
29:45
to firearms during periods of emotional distress
29:48
can ultimately save lives, placing a time and
29:52
space between that thought and the action. Research
29:55
has found that even just a few minutes of space
29:59
and time between the actual thought of suicide
30:02
and the action can reduce it greatly. When you
30:05
have a gun lock on a gun, you have a veteran,
30:07
let's say, who has had a thought of suicide.
30:10
Now they're going to have to go to wherever the
30:13
keys are located in their home. They're going
30:15
to have to get the keys for that gun lock. Now
30:17
they're going to have to unlock the gun lock.
30:18
Then they're going to have to find the magazine,
30:20
et cetera, et cetera, right before they can reload
30:22
it. The research has found that that time that
30:25
you have put in place with the gun locks is reducing
30:28
that reaction that they actually will make the
30:33
choice to move forward with that thought that
30:35
they initially made. Those gun locks are also
30:37
preventing and the safes are preventing someone
30:41
else from accessing your weapon that could potentially
30:44
either be having the same thought or maybe are
30:46
just not understanding the power behind a weapon.
30:50
Firearms are the most commonly used method in
30:53
veteran suicide deaths nationally. Firearms are
30:56
involved in roughly 70 % of veteran suicide deaths,
30:59
which is usually well above the general population
31:01
rate. For Larimer County, we do see across all
31:06
populations that firearms are the most commonly
31:08
used method. And with that, just as Shannon said,
31:11
the time and space is our most critical point
31:15
of prevention. We really want to make sure that
31:18
firearms are securely stored. so that no one
31:20
gains unauthorized access. And that means unauthorized
31:23
access of anyone who's not the owner or someone
31:26
who may be in crisis, and that could include
31:28
the owner of that firearm. So what are some resources
31:32
that are available for people who want to learn
31:34
more about safe firearm storage? Is there a place
31:36
that they can go? We do have some trainings.
31:38
CALM, which is Counseling on Access to Lethal
31:40
Means, is a training that is targeted towards
31:43
clinicians for the most part, but community members
31:45
can also take it to better understand. lethal
31:48
means safety, especially firearms and medications.
31:52
The other thing is, is we can look to our firearm
31:55
community. Most firearm owners will agree that
32:00
storing a firearm unloaded and locked with the
32:03
ammunition stored separately is the appropriate
32:05
way to store a firearm to prevent unauthorized
32:07
access or theft. We want to take the same action
32:11
as we would to prevent suicide. And so this can
32:14
include, like I said, we want to unload that
32:16
firearm. We want to lock it. This could be in
32:19
a safe or just a cable lock. And then we want
32:22
to take that ammunition and also store it separately
32:24
someplace else locked. So this could be in a
32:26
separate safe or in a lockbox where the ammunition
32:30
and firearm are not stored together. We can also
32:33
reach out to our federal firearm licensing dealers.
32:36
So a gun store, gun shop, range operators, police
32:40
officers. veterans themselves, and other community
32:44
members who utilize firearms as part of their
32:47
job or recreation. Because in that community,
32:50
nobody wants there to be harm that's caused to
32:53
anyone from an inappropriately stored firearm.
32:57
There are a number of online resources as well.
32:59
So myself, as well as Shannon and others at the
33:03
VA are happy to discuss ways in which we can
33:06
work with an individual to store their firearm
33:08
for their lifestyle. One storage method is not
33:11
going to work for everyone. This is kind of a
33:14
personal choice on what will work for you, what
33:16
you have access to. Maybe it's free cable locks,
33:19
maybe it's a discount on a safe, whatever that
33:21
may be. And we also have the Colorado Gun Shop
33:24
Coalition that is run through Colorado's University
33:27
Firearm Injury and Prevention Initiative out
33:30
of Anschutz in Denver. They have a plethora of
33:33
information as well as firearm owners and...
33:37
FFLs that come together monthly to discuss ways
33:41
in which they can amplify the voices of firearm
33:44
owners and secure storage through those networks.
33:48
GunStorageMap .com lists a number of places in
33:51
which you can call an FFL or a range where they
33:54
can store that firearm for you temporarily, or
33:57
you could purchase a safe for you to be able
33:59
to store that firearm. And then lastly, another
34:02
great program is Paws to Protect. which is a
34:05
program that looks at targeting military bases
34:08
in the communities around them to help encourage
34:11
secure storage of firearms. And they have a number
34:13
of resources for FFLs and for family members
34:17
to kind of understand what options they have
34:21
available to them. When we have a loved one who
34:23
owns a firearm and maybe they're getting older
34:25
and they can't operate that firearm anymore,
34:27
we also want to be cognizant if that might be
34:30
a time where we need to change how we have that
34:32
firearm stored. Similarly, how we might need
34:34
to change how we have a firearm stored if someone
34:36
in our family is experiencing a crisis. Maybe
34:39
we're moving. Maybe our recreation or our comfort
34:42
level with a firearm has changed. And so these
34:45
are changing, moving pieces. And the firearm
34:49
life plan allows us to kind of go through those
34:51
different options, talk about those firearms.
34:54
What would we like to happen to our firearms
34:56
if we were to pass or be gone? You know, talk
34:59
about those things. Talk about how they can be
35:01
securely stored. One in three of our veterans
35:04
statistically own a firearm. So I think that
35:07
those are conversations that are really important
35:10
to be had. What do you wish more people knew
35:12
either about suicide or suicide prevention? I
35:16
think first and foremost, just a reminder that
35:18
talking about suicide does not cause harm and
35:22
that reaching out, even if you're unsure, can
35:26
truly save a life. Most people that do have suicidal
35:29
thoughts can recover with support and connection.
35:32
Ultimately, don't be afraid to ask for help.
35:36
There's a couple of things that I wish more people
35:38
knew, but quickly, is that suicide is preventable.
35:41
It's not inevitable. It's not foregone conclusion
35:44
when someone is struggling. This is something
35:47
that we can intervene on, and it is absolutely
35:50
possible. There is ambivalence. When someone
35:54
reaches out to you when they're contemplating
35:56
suicide, and that's exactly where intervention
35:57
happens. This is where we can take the time to
36:01
create that time and space, provide resources
36:04
and intervention, and save someone's life. Most
36:08
veterans who die by suicide were not engaged
36:10
with VA mental health care. And so we really
36:14
want to augment through community -based upstream
36:17
systems rather than just treating this as a clinical
36:21
access problem. We want people to be able to
36:24
receive the care that they need, whether it be
36:26
at the VA or in the community. Lethal mean safety
36:29
does save lives, but it doesn't resolve the underlining
36:33
crisis. Because it removes the most irreversible
36:37
option during the moment, that matters most.
36:39
But we still need to provide services and resources
36:42
to help address those underlining concerns or
36:45
issues that have led to that crisis. If someone
36:48
is struggling with thoughts of suicide or knows
36:51
someone who is, I think I know the answer given
36:54
our conversation, but where should they go? The
36:57
Veterans Crisis Line is available 24 hours a
37:00
day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. You
37:04
simply call 988 -PRESS -1. You also can text
37:09
at 838 -255. You can even chat online. Also,
37:14
local crisis centers, emergency departments.
37:17
Mental health agencies and supportive friends
37:19
or family can also help, and no one has to go
37:22
through this alone. If you have someone who is
37:25
in immediate danger, or you feel that they're
37:27
in immediate danger, you can always call 911
37:29
and go to the nearest emergency department as
37:32
well. Utilizing the 988 is a great first step
37:35
in all cases. But also, if it's not urgent, but
37:39
they need support, you can also start with your
37:41
primary care provider, your mental health provider.
37:44
VA mental health or your local community mental
37:46
health centers that we have here in Larimer County.
37:48
They're great contacts for someone who maybe
37:51
isn't at that immediate need, but it's come up
37:55
and maybe we want to get in front of it and we
37:57
want to provide those services that will help
37:59
them deal with a crisis as it's developing or
38:02
to keep it from developing. Awesome. Lauren and
38:05
Shannon, thank you both so much for joining us
38:07
today. Thank you so much. Thank you. It's a pleasure.
38:11
You can find links to learn more about the topics
38:13
we discussed today in the show notes. If you
38:16
have a question about public health in Larimer
38:18
County or a topic you'd like us to discuss, let
38:21
us know. Email us at healthiertogetheratlarimer
38:25
.org. Thanks for listening, Larimer County. Until
38:28
next week, stay well, stay connected, and remember,
38:31
we really are healthier together.