Harm to Self or Others: VA Suicide Prevention Month Series, Event 1

Join Blue Star Families and your Rocky Mountain VA Suicide Prevention Teams as we spread awareness and education to help prevent Veteran Suicide. For Suicide Awareness Month, we are featuring a special series of clinical presentations and events, held through Zoom. Anyone who would like to learn more about Veteran Suicide and they can help prevent it, are invited to join us for these great events:

• Wednesday, September 9th – 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM MST
• “Harm To Self and Others: Sex Differences in Suicidal Behavior and Aggression in Veterans” by Erin McGlade, PhD – Clinical Researcher with Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center

• Friday, September 11th – 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM MST
• Virtual Soiree: “A Night of Transcendence: Celebrating the Art, Music & Poetry of LGBTQ+ Veteran/Adult Survivors of Suicide” LGBTQ+ survivors will be sharing works of art that symbolize they are living through suicide – their own struggles or that of a loved one. **SPECIAL REQUEST – We are SEEKING Artists, Poets & Musicians!! Please email Michelle Wilcox, LGBTQ+ Program Coordinator (michelle.wilcox@va.gov) with names of Veterans or VA staff who might be willing to share their art/music/poetry with us.**

• Wednesday, September 16th – 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM MST
• Panel Discussion: “The Impact of Suicide on Veteran Families and Pathways Toward Prevention” Conducted in partnership with Blue Star Families of Utah and OIF Veteran/Motivational Speaker Tammy Joy Lane
• Panel Moderators: Michael Tragakis, PhD – Suicide Prevention Clinical Director, VASLHCS; Emily Harrison – Director, Blue Star Families of Utah; and Tammy Joy Lane – Suicide Survivor, Author, TedX Speaker and Founder of yestokindness.com
• Panelists: Karl DeVries – Veteran Outreach Program Specialist, The Vet Center; Angie Toone – Battlin’ Betties Utah Platoon Leader and Elizabeth Dole Foundation Fellow Alumni; David Wood, PhD, MSW – Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Brigham Young University; Kat Honaker – Surviving Spouse and Blogger; Chaplain Billy Priddis, VA Chaplain; and Preston Ewell – UTNG Sergeant and Podcaster

• Wednesday, September 23rd – 10:30 AM to 12:00 NOON MST
• “Current Research on the Interpersonal-Psychological Model of Suicidality” by Thomas Joiner, PhD of Florida State University

Please note that CEUs are available for VA Employees only for clinical discussions. Be sure to indicate that you wish to receive CEU credit upon registering. Certificates of attendance will be sent to community stakeholders and partners. Certificates will be emailed to participants at the conclusion of the series.

If you have any questions about this series, please contact Michael Tragakis at Michael.Tragakis@va.gov.