PsychArmor offers free suicide prevention training for all 

By Carole Turner, PsychArmor

Every September, Suicide Prevention Month raises awareness about Veteran suicide. Our news and social media feeds are filled with talk of resources and connection, protective factors and upstream solutions. This is important work but it shouldn’t be limited to just one month a year. 

Even more importantly: each of us has the power to make a difference in the life of a Veteran at risk.  A 2023 report from the VA states the need for a “whole of nation” public health approach to Veteran suicide prevention (2023 National Suicide Prevention Annual Report). This community-based model relies on training anyone and everyone on how to recognize a Veteran in crisis, then provide them with safe, effective resources and support. 

Anyone can help save a life 

PsychArmor offers the training to meet this need with suicide prevention courses designed specifically for military and Veteran communities. Some of us are trusted messengers for a Veteran as family members, caregivers and friends that know firsthand about moments of crisis. Others are part of the community network that interacts with Veterans in their daily lives. Whether you are part of a Veteran’s inner circle or a casual acquaintance, PsychArmor has training for you. Plus all of the courses in our Suicide Prevention portfolio – more than 20 – are free to individual learners. With PsychArmor training, you will learn how talk about suicide in a safe and effective manner, sharing both hope and resources. 

Start with VA S.A.V.E.  

A great place to start your training is with VA S.A.V.E. Developed in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, this 18-minute course will teach you how to identify a Veteran at risk and how to help them. The course includes role-playing examples of safe and effective messaging. Find VA S.A.V.E. at psycharmor.org or read about it on the VA site.

Psycharmor offers more than 20 additional courses including Crisis Response Planning and a new series on Lethal Means Safety and safe storage of firearms, a top suicide prevention priority for Veterans. Jointly narrated by people from different cultures – including Veterans, non-Veterans, gun owners, and clinical psychologists – this course aims to reduce the hesitation we can feel talking to Veterans about their firearms. 

Collaborating to save lives

PsychArmor also works with a broad range of partners to create custom training options that meet the needs of each of their specific communities. We work together to ensure that culturally sensitive, responsive, and effective training is available through their platforms and sites.

Whether you want to Face the Fight or Be The One, stand The Fire Watch or make your Objective Zero, PsychArmor will be by your side, providing suicide prevention training designed specifically for military and Veteran populations.  

You have the ability to save a life.  Log on today at www.psycharmor.org to take the first step towards supporting a Veteran in crisis.