Buddy Check Week

The Veteran Resources Community Network (VRCN) held its August Monthly Connect meeting to coordinate suicide prevention efforts ahead of September's Suicide Prevention Month. VA Chief Veterans Experience Officer Lynda Davis emphasized the shared responsibility of the VA and its partners in preventing veteran suicide through community connection. A primary focus of the meeting was the upcoming 'Buddy Check Week,' scheduled for September 21-25. As part of the 'Don't Wait, Reach Out' campaign, the VA is providing new outreach materials and training. Starbucks is supporting this initiative for the third year by donating 20,000 gift cards to veterans who complete the pledge and training. The VA also reported success in an outreach campaign targeting sleep and chronic pain, which has connected over 35,000 previously unenrolled veterans to healthcare services since January. Additionally, the organization Televeda highlighted its 'Hero's Story Project,' a Mission Daybreak challenge winner that has engaged over 1,500 veterans through storytelling and community-led programming. Partners were encouraged to utilize VA-provided resources to expand outreach, particularly in rural areas. The VA reiterated that veterans in crisis can access support 24/7 by dialing 988 and pressing 1, texting 838255, or visiting VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.