Program Activities and Initiatives for Community Partners

Collaboration opportunities for community-based organizations.

Your organization’s involvement in the Northwest Pennsylvania Veteran Suicide Prevention Program is an essential link for providing life-saving services to Veterans in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

By collaborating with PERU and our healthcare partners, all activities and initiatives will strengthen pre-existing suicide prevention efforts for high-risk populations. Community organizations that align with our mission are encouraged to partner with us and participate in our outreach activities. We are actively recruiting community partners to work with us in meeting our goals and objectives. We encourage you to contact us and express your interest. Additionally, we encourage your involvement on our Facebook and LinkedIn groups, and solicit relevant contributions to our events calendar and news blog.

What are the various activities and initiatives offered to community partners?

1. Help create supportive environments by promoting safe storage practices among Veterans.
   • Share tools and materials with firearm retailers and owner groups to better identify individuals at-risk and prevent suicide by firearms.
   • Train healthcare providers, law enforcement, and community members to increase awareness and knowledge of suicide risk factors, mental and behavioral health treatment options, and safe storage practices for firearms and lethal means.
2. Identify and support people at risk.
   • Provide gatekeeper training, such as S.A.V.E. (Signs of suicide, Asking about suicide, Validating feelings, Encouraging help, and Expediting treatment) in your community.
   • Offer information to community members working with Veterans about effective coping and resilience-building strategies.
3. Promote connectedness through community engagement.
   • Organize community activities that encourage social connectedness and build awareness.
   • Distribute educational materials that increase awareness of military culture and reduce isolation among Veterans.

What services and assistance will participating community partners receive?

As a participating community organization in the Northwest Pennsylvania Veteran Suicide Prevention Program, the PERU team can provide individualized support and consultation in the following areas:

Assessment

Determine an organization’s capacity and technical assistance needs through collaboration with community resources and agencies.

Planning

Collaborate with community sites to establish a customized strategic plan and establish data-sharing methods to support quality improvement efforts.

Implementation

Provide concierge technical assistance to community partners, develop strategies to maintain program participation, and build collaborative relationships with local treatment/service providers and community partners interacting with Veterans.  

Data Analysis

Use performance measurements for community sites to facilitate data-informed quality improvement strategies and inform training, education, and outreach plans.  

Evaluation

Create a rigorous process and outcome evaluation that identifies barriers to and facilitators of program participation and success, highlights areas for additional support, and demonstrates each initiative’s impact on at-risk Veterans in the 15 counties.