Presentation on the El Paso County, Colorado Service Member, Veteran, and Military Family Suicide Prevention Coalition. Describes the public health approach to stopping suicide in the military affiliated population.

1. COMBATING SERVICE MEMBER, VETERAN AND
MILITARY FAMILY SUICIDES:
USING A COMMUNITY-BASED PUBLIC HEALTH
APPROACH
DUANE K. L. FRANCE, MA,
MBA, LPC

2. Federal – State – Local
Suicide Prevention Efforts
In October of 2018,
Colorado was selected
as one of seven states to
participate in the
Governor’s Challenge to
Prevent Veteran Suicide
National Strategy for
Preventing Veteran
Suicide
In July of 2018, Colorado
was chosen to establish
the Colorado National
Collaborative
Preventing Suicide : A
Technical Package Of
Policies, Programs, And
Practice

3. Access to Care
Lethal Means
Safety
Postvention
At Risk
PopulationsYouth
Young Adults
Older Adults
LGBTQ
SMVF
Disabled
El Paso County Suicide Prevention Task Force
1. Define The
Problem
2. Identify Risk
and Protective
Factors
3. Develop and
Implement
Strategies
4. Ensure
Widest
Dissemination
Connectedness
Education and
Awareness
Economic Stability
Colorado
National
Collaborative
El Paso County
Suicide
Prevention Task
Force
El Paso County
SMVF Suicide
Prevention
Coalition
5. Evaluate and
Refine

4. 156
123
156
167 172
139 136
159
149
168 165
175
120
140
160
180
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Veteran Suicides
Veteran Suicides Linear (Veteran Suicides)
36.8
29.2
37.5 40.2 41.5
33.4 32.6
38.4 36.1
41.0 40.1
42.9
22.9 19.9 21.5 21.0 24.0 22.1 22.9 26.0 24.2 25.5 24.9 26.1
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Veteran Suicide Rate vs General Population Suicide Rate (# per 100,000)
Veteran Suicide Rate General Population Suicide Rate
2012
Suffocation
Firearms
Other and low-
count methods
2013
Poisoning
Firearms
Other and low-
count methods
2014
Poisoning
Firearms
Other and low-
count methods
2015
Suffocation
Poisoning
Firearms
Other Suicide
Veteran Suicides by Method
Department of Veterans Affairs National Veteran
Suicide Data: 2016 State Data Appendix: Colorado
DEFINING THE PROBLEM

5. Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention
Data: 2005-2017
DEFINING THE PROBLEM
35 17 27 31 37 28 24
46 44
28
48
50 39
0
100
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
El Paso County Veteran Suicides
Veteran Suicides Linear (Veteran Suicides)
116
75
102
74
90
35
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
65+
55-64
45-54
35-44
25-34
20-24
El Paso County Veteran Suicide by age
2004-2017
# Suicide by age
191
Additional Demographics:
Veterans who die by suicide in El Paso
County are likely to be:
• Male (94%)
• Caucasian (85%)
• Married (53%)
• Over 55 Years Old (38%)
• Use Firearms as a method (68%)
• Have a current depressed mood
(60%) and physical health
problems (50%)
• Have Alcohol (31%) and Opiates
(15%) in their system
Historical trends tell us that a veteran is going to die by suicide in El Paso County in
the next two weeks

6. Peer Norm Programs
Community
Engagement Activities
Identifying Protective Factors
Improving Connectedness
Martin, J., Ghahramanlou-Holloway, M., Lou, K., & Tucciarone, P. (2009). A comparative
review of US military and civilian suicide behavior: Implications for OEF/OIF suicide prevention
efforts. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 31(2), 101-118

7. Financial
Security
Employment
Security
Housing Stability
Identifying Protective Factors
Improving Economic Stability
Elbogen, E. B., Sullivan, C. P., Wolfe, J., Wagner, H. R., & Beckham, J. C. (2013). Homelessness and Money
Mismanagement in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. American journal of public health, 103, 248-254

8. Community
Education
MedicalProfessional
Education
Gatekeeper
Education
Identifying Protective Factors
Improving Education and Awareness
Knox, K. L., Litts, D. A., Talcott, G. W., Feig, J. C., & Caine, E. D. (2003). Risk of suicide and related adverse outcomes
after exposure to a suicide prevention programme in the US Air Force: cohort study. Bmj, 327(7428), 1376.

9. Reduce Provider
Shortage
Minimizing Risk Factors
Improve Access to Effective Care
Provide Culturally
Competent Care
Reduce Barriers To
Care
Ahmedani, B. K., Simon, G. E., Stewart, C., Beck, A., Waitzfelder, B. E., Rossom, R., ... & Operskalski, B. H. (2014).
Health Care Contacts in the Year Before Suicide Death. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 29(6), 870.

10. Safe Storage Practices
Safe Firearm Storage
Minimizing Risk Factors
Increase Lethal Means Safety
Safe Medication
Storage
Identify and
Minimize Suicide
Hotspots
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (2018, September). VA National Suicide Data Report,
2005-2016.

11. Provide
Bereavement
Support
Provide Care for
Attempt survivors
Minimizing Risk Factors
Increase Postvention Care and Support
Suicide Statistics

12. The Way Forward: What Can You Do
Access to Care
Lethal Means
Safety
Postvention
Connectedness
Education and
Awareness
Economic Stability
1. Identify Your
Role
2. Learn More
3. Spread the
Word
4. Join the
Conversation

13. @ThCounselingVet
www.linkedin.com/in/dklfrance
@veteranmentalhealth
www.veteranmentalhealth.com
dfrance@fccsprings.com
719-540-2136
El Paso County SMVF Suicide Prevention Coalition
Contact Information