The Harris County VSD awarded VA suicide prevention grant [PressRelease]
The Harris County Veterans Services Department awarded VA suicide prevention grant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2022
Release No.: 20221003-01
The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant (SSG Fox SPGP) supports local suicide prevention efforts for Veterans and their families.
HOUSTON— The Harris County Veterans Services Deparment (the VSD) received a $750,000 grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to support local Veterans through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP)
The SSG Fox SPGP is a pilot, community-based grant program that will provide financial assistance to eligible entities to provide or coordinate providing suicide prevention services to eligible Veterans and their families. Eligible entities have been awarded a one-year renewable funding.
“This is an exciting step forward for our suicide prevention programs and capabilities. Opportunities like this help us mature some of our vital programs in the Greater Harris County community,” said Dave Lewis, Director of the VSD.
“This grant will allow us to expand our services to rural locations as well,” Lewis emphasized that a large portion of “at-risk” veterans in Harris and surrounding counties reside in rural communities that are harder to reach.
Harris county is home to the highest population of veterans in Texas, but also loses a veteran to suicide every 6 days on average.
“While we are making headway with suicide prevention practices, these funds will greatly expand our capacity to prevent suicides,” said Lewis.
“Suicide is individually complex in nature, and while it is difficult to find a single solution, our veteran-to-veteran approach has proven to be successful in identifying and connecting veterans in crisis to resources that they may need,” he added.
“I’m proud of our team’s vision for improving our community and excited to see the outcomes of this program,” said Lewis.
Since the VSD’s upgrade to an independent department in 2020, the department has been diligently helping veterans and their families with resources to help them succeed in re-establishing in the civilian world.
The department specifically focuses on suicide prevenetion, justice involved veterans, homeless veterans, and assists veterans and their families in submissions for both Federal and State claims and benefits.
The VSD plans to provide suicide prevention services to Veterans in the greater Harris County’s urban and rural areas with its SSG Fox SPGP award.
For more information on Harris County Veterans Services Department, visit www.harrisvets.com. Information on the SSG Fox SPGP can be found at https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ssgfox-grants/.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online
at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.
Reporters covering this issue can download VA’s Safe Messaging Best Practices fact sheet or visit www.ReportingOnSuicide.org for important guidance on how to communicate about suicide.
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The Harris County Veterans Services Department (HCVSD) is an advocate for veterans and their dependents in Harris County. We welcome returning veteran s of the U.S. Armed forces from all eras as productive members of the greater Harris County by building a strong veteran community.
We provide assistance to veterans and their dependents regarding compensation, pension, medical, educational, insurance, and death benefits. We also assist veterans and their dependents in obtaining important documentation needed to apply for benefits.
Henry Chan
Harris Co. VSD Public Affairs Officer
Email: Henry.Chan@vso.hctx.net
Office: (281) 876-6600
Cell: (832) 773-8684
https://www.vso.hctx.net/