Warning: This discussion is about suicide and may be triggering to certain individuals. If you are having thoughts about self-harm, please call the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988.
Funding through a state law passed three years ago is allowing the University of Kentucky to offer suicide prevention services to people and groups serving veterans – and vets themselves.
David Pascal Hague is an assistant professor in counseling psychology and director of the Community Mental Health Clinic at UK’s College of Education. He said the state grant will fund veterans’ counseling and community workshops for the next year. Hague said research shows vets are at greater risk of self-harm – and his own brother, who served in the Marines, has lost 11 colleagues to suicide.
“An individual coming to mental health care is a primary way for someone to receive treatment, sitting with a therapist using evidence-based treatments. Right? We see a reduction in mental health symptoms, suicidality. We see improvement in quality of life.”
Hague said the other way they’re tackling the problem of veteran suicides is educating and empowering people through workshops they call “Question, Persuade, Refer.”
“Any organization can reach out to us, nonprofits, employers, medical providers, a church, group, other things you know anyone who wants to empower their community to support their veterans and be able to see those risk factors and help veterans find the services.”
Hague said the custom-tailored workshops last 60 to 90 minutes and he or another instructor will conduct them onsite or online.
