Initiative Aims to Help Prevent Soldier Suicides
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) announced today that Kentucky will join the Give an Hour initiative, a nonpartisan, nonprofit national network of mental health professionals providing free counseling services to veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and their family members.
Gov. Beshear and CHFS are asking Kentucky-licensed mental health professionals to volunteer an hour of free service each week for up to one year to returning troops and their families.
“It’s vital for our soldiers and their families to know they can and should seek help when needed,” said Gov. Beshear. “This program can make a difference and even save lives.”
An average of 18 suicides occurs each day among America’s 25 million veterans. Fort Campbell’s suicide rate is currently the highest in the Army, with statistics showing that an average of one soldier per week committed suicide at the post between January and mid-March 2009.
The national Give an Hour goal is to enlist 10 percent of the nation’s licensed mental health providers by 2015. That means 40,000 providers would volunteer their time to soldiers who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan and their families.
“As of August, we have more than 4,400 licensed mental health professionals who have given more than 16,895 total hours of donated mental health services through the Give an Hour network,” said Give an Hour Founder and President Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen.
“Our goal for Kentucky is to match this goal by enlisting 10 percent of our own licensed mental health providers, which is approximately 400 clinicians,” said CHFS Secretary Janie Miller. “Just think of the difference this could make if at least 400 providers across this state offered a minimum of one hour of mental health service every week.”
A recent Rand Corporation study estimates at least 300,000 service men and women suffer major depression or post-traumatic stress. An additional 320,000 are suffering from a traumatic brain injury.
“The military is admirably attempting to respond to this need,” Gov. Beshear said. “But at this point the need is simply overwhelming the current availability of resources.”
For more information or to sign up to volunteer or receive services through Give an Hour, please visit www.kentuckysuicideprevention.org or call Michael McFarland, Kentucky suicide prevention coordinator, at (502) 564-4456, ext. 4518.
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