Veterans’ Health

Project Title

Increasing Veterans’ Access to Mental Health and Social Supports

Grant Amount

$25,000

Priority Area

Veterans’ Health

Date Awarded

December 13, 2021

Region

Finger Lakes

Status

Closed

Website

www.veteransoutreachcenter.org

The number of veteran suicide deaths throughout the country has risen steadily since 2001, with an average of 17 veterans dying by suicide each day.

On top of these sobering suicide rates, overall veteran mortality rates have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the second half of 2021 was an exceptionally difficult and traumatic period for the post-9/11 generation of veterans: the twentieth anniversary of 9/11 was triggering for many and came on the heels of a violent and chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. After the Taliban takeover, 90% of Afghanistan war veterans with a history of mental illness experienced new or worsening mental health symptoms, including depression and thoughts of suicide. Access to mental health care and social support are essential elements of an evidence-based suicide prevention approach. In 2021, NYHealth awarded a grant to the Veterans Outreach Center, Inc. (VOC) as part of a larger project with the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Center at NYU Langone, New York Cares, and Western New York Heroes, to provide community-based mental health and peer support, as well as screenings and support service referrals to veterans across New York State.

Under this grant, VOC expanded its peer support and behavioral health care services across Rochester and Monroe County. It conducted outreach to recruit and engage 600 veterans to participate in tailored programs focused on reducing social isolation and connecting veterans to community resources, including support groups and trauma recovery services. VOC also made referrals to partner organizations for support services and tracked program participation.