Dear Friends,
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Tragically, every 14 hours someone in Arkansas dies by suicide, and every 20 minutes a veteran commits suicide somewhere in the United States. Friends, this is heartbreaking.
For too long, people have avoided discussing the difficult topic of suicide. Confronting suicide directly is the first step towards lowering suicide rates. Too many lives are lost, and too many families are hurt because of this tragedy. Our military heroes are especially vulnerable. We lose more than 6,000 veterans every year due to suicide.
My Arkansas veterans team has witnessed how suicide impacts their fellow veterans when they return home from combat:
"Since I came home from Iraq in 2007, I have seen firsthand the effects that veteran suicide has had on our population here in Arkansas. I have also heard many stories from those family members who have been effected by veteran suicide. I am proud to see that more is being done and proud to know that more people are aware of this issue now more than ever before. We should never give up the fight to stop veteran suicide until it no longer exists."
-David Carnahan, Director of Military and Veterans Affairs for Congressman French Hill |
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For the month of September, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) encourages each one of us to Be There for our families, friends, veterans, and co-workers. We can do this by being present, supportive, and strong for someone in our lives who is going through a tough time.
All of this can seem overwhelming, but the truth is that special training is not needed to prevent suicide and suicide is preventable. By recognizing warning signs, and simply being kind to someone in need, you can help save a life. Below are some actions that the VA recommends all of us can take to Be There:
- Reach out to Veterans to show them you care. Send a check-in text, cook them dinner or simply ask, “How are you?”
- Learn the warning signs of suicide, found on the Veterans Crisis Line website.
- Watch the free S.A.V.E. training video to equip yourself to respond with care and compassion if someone you know indicates they are having thoughts of suicide.
- Check out VA’s Social Media Safety Toolkit to learn how to recognize and respond to social media posts that may indicate emotional distress, feelings of crisis or thoughts of suicide.
- Contact VA’s Coaching Into Care program when worried about a Veteran or loved one. A licensed psychologist or social worker will provide guidance on motivating your loved one to seek support.
To anyone struggling, or if you have a loved one you are concerned about, reach out. You are not alone. Help is available 24/7 through 911 or the national suicide prevention life line:
My office also stands ready to help in any way that we can; please call us at (501) 324-5941. Suicide is a complicated public health issue that affects all communities across the United States. For my part, I will continue to deliver legislation that supports mental health programs that save lives, because one life lost to suicide is too many.
Sincerely,
Representative French Hill
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| Remember 5 and stay alive |
Something that we can all do is check in on our loved ones and be aware of the five signs of emotional suffering. Recently, I met with a group from Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) who are building a strong community of support for our Arkansas veterans. In the picture below, we are holding up our hands to represent the five signs of emotional suffering:
1) Personality change
2) Uncharacteristically angry, anxious, agitated, or moody
3) Withdrawal or isolation from other people
4) May neglect self-care and engage in risky behavior
5) Overcome with hopelessness and overwhelmed by circumstances
Hill AMendment Funds Veterans' Suicide Prevention, Homeless assistance Programs
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Great news for Arkansas's service members and their families: The House recently passed my amendment that delivers $1.5 million in additional funding for veterans' homeless assistance programs and suicide prevention outreach.
Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and safety. When they return home, we need to do everything we can to ensure they get the proper attention and care that they deserve.
Click HERE or on the video below to watch my speech from the House floor in support of my amendment to increase funding for these life-saving veterans programs.
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| ARKANSAS HHS MENTAL HEALTH LINE IS NOW LIVE |
Untreated mental health disorders and substance abuse have resulted in countless tragedies in our country, including over 45,000 lives lost to suicide and 70,000 lives lost to drug overdoses in 2017 alone. Sometimes all it takes to prevent these tragedies is a call for help.
I commend the Arkansas Department of Human Services for taking action to address the urgent need for mental health care by establishing a support line to connect Arkansans to low cost mental health and substance abuse services. The support line is now live.
If you or a loved one need mental health or substance abuse services, please share this number and call the DHS Mental Health Support Line at 1-844-763-0198.
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Thank you for taking time to keep up with the work I'm doing on your behalf. If I can be of any assistance to you or your family, please reach out to my office at (501) 324-5941 or Hill.House.Gov.
To keep up with my day-to-day meetings and events, please follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
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