Posted on Jul 14, 2024
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Since the inception of the 988 national suicide hotline I have been following its metrics. Partly I do this for my professional responsibilities and partly to keep my fellow veterans informed.
First, SAMSHA (https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/performance-metrics) has published monthly call management metrics since its inception.
The data visualized in the attached graphics are interesting to understand. Some questions:
> What is being done to reduce the ROOT CAUSES of why ~ (10.5% to 11.5%) on average of non-veteran routed calls are BEING ABANDONED? Seems strange that after the 988 system has been installed we as a nation are will tolerate the sacrifice of 1+:10 because their call could not be answered in a timely manner.
> Why is "veteran" data regarding missed (I.e., abandoned) calls only the per view of the VHA. Why is it not also published on the SAMSHA website and such data is not more obvious to fine on the VHA sites?
So please respond to the poll question:
How often do you as a RP member follow issues regarding the topic of suicide?
Just asking the questions and continuing to review the data................................that should always be available in the public domain.
First, SAMSHA (https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/performance-metrics) has published monthly call management metrics since its inception.
The data visualized in the attached graphics are interesting to understand. Some questions:
> What is being done to reduce the ROOT CAUSES of why ~ (10.5% to 11.5%) on average of non-veteran routed calls are BEING ABANDONED? Seems strange that after the 988 system has been installed we as a nation are will tolerate the sacrifice of 1+:10 because their call could not be answered in a timely manner.
> Why is "veteran" data regarding missed (I.e., abandoned) calls only the per view of the VHA. Why is it not also published on the SAMSHA website and such data is not more obvious to fine on the VHA sites?
So please respond to the poll question:
How often do you as a RP member follow issues regarding the topic of suicide?
Just asking the questions and continuing to review the data................................that should always be available in the public domain.
Mental Health
Health
Suicide
Posted 5 mo ago
Responses: 5
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I follow the issue of veteran suicide on my own, independently, because I am a survivor of it. It's a battle that I still fight regularly (and often alone), but I keep fighting because someone else is gonna need my help one day and I want to be around to give them my help. And that's regardless of who does or does not help me. All because no one is helping me get through it doesn't mean that I have to do the same to others.
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CPT David Gowel
SSG Eric Blue I’m very sorry to hear what you’re going through and often alone. I encourage you to check out this page to get connected to professional online support & in-person resources near you.
https://www.rallypoint.com/emergency-support
https://www.rallypoint.com/emergency-support
RallyPoint - The Military Network
Find service members and veterans like you, discuss military life, and share professional opportunities on the largest military network.
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Personally, none of your poll options fit. So I can not choose any of them.
I do what I can when I can as often as I can.
I do what I can when I can as often as I can.
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SrA Cecelia Eareckson
CPO Nate S. - Gonna add another observation. Please understand that I have a twotrack healthcare system. I am not eligible for any prescription coverage except the VA, so I do have to deal with them. Not one of my many outside providers (I am a train wreck) asks if I am a veteran. Point being that veteran suicide will only be counted as such if the veteran was in the VA patient pool. Which means the VA is failing them. Why on earth people continue to refer troubled veterans to the VA is beyond me.
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CPO Nate S.
SrA Cecelia Eareckson - I spend my days tracking all sorts of veteran health and wellness data regarding many issues and none more important than the tragedy that is suicide. While I cannot post my company’s name here regarding what we do specific to helping the commercial healthcare world better understand the mind of the warrior I will say that our moniker (something we share) is “You Have to Know Me to Treat Me!”
We know that the civilian (i.e., commercial) healthcare community does not ask someone about their military service history. Stories like yours are valuable and I share them with my CEO. Do you mind if I share yours? It is one of many that have come to me over years on RP and other veteran/military centric social media sites that makes the very point you are making about needing to be asked so that providers have greater awareness to take more appropriate actions precisely because you are a veteran.
Because we track such data let me share in the attachments below some charts we developed when asked about the precursors (i.e., community-based) indicators as data points that frankly shocked those who asked. Imagine that, just a little data and the capacity to understand that data at a community-based level. It was a real eye opener for them.
Again, there are those making efforts and inroads. There are those who get it and why I am part of a team who is in the fight to increase awareness and more than that help others create actions so that no veteran feels like their civilian provider is clueless and never takes the time ask a simple yet very important question: “Are you a veteran or have you ever served in the US Military?” The doors such a question open for the safety and security of veterans is huge in terms of increased access to care and the quality of care received.
Just sharing…………….
We know that the civilian (i.e., commercial) healthcare community does not ask someone about their military service history. Stories like yours are valuable and I share them with my CEO. Do you mind if I share yours? It is one of many that have come to me over years on RP and other veteran/military centric social media sites that makes the very point you are making about needing to be asked so that providers have greater awareness to take more appropriate actions precisely because you are a veteran.
Because we track such data let me share in the attachments below some charts we developed when asked about the precursors (i.e., community-based) indicators as data points that frankly shocked those who asked. Imagine that, just a little data and the capacity to understand that data at a community-based level. It was a real eye opener for them.
Again, there are those making efforts and inroads. There are those who get it and why I am part of a team who is in the fight to increase awareness and more than that help others create actions so that no veteran feels like their civilian provider is clueless and never takes the time ask a simple yet very important question: “Are you a veteran or have you ever served in the US Military?” The doors such a question open for the safety and security of veterans is huge in terms of increased access to care and the quality of care received.
Just sharing…………….
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CPO Nate S.
I am sorry to hear that none of the poll options fit! The idea was to gage how closely my fellow vets follow this very difficult issue. The problem is with the nation who does not want face the difficulty this topic exposes. But just as SrA Cecelia Eareckson stated when the civilian healthcare community is not asking the question then we have to increase their regarding why that is important. Just saying.....................
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Quite Frankly, When I Was Misdiagnosed At The VA, As Being Bi-Polar,
When I Had No Mental Health Issues At All, And Prescribed Medications FOR
Being Bi-Polar, I WENT NUTS & Became Suicidal; And While In That State Contemplating Suicide,
I Was Clear Of Mind And Made The Unsuccessful Attempt. Oddly Enough, The Most Calm I'd Been Within All The YEARS The VA Had Caused My Condition.... I Was A Basket Case For YEARS
When I Had No Mental Health Issues At All, And Prescribed Medications FOR
Being Bi-Polar, I WENT NUTS & Became Suicidal; And While In That State Contemplating Suicide,
I Was Clear Of Mind And Made The Unsuccessful Attempt. Oddly Enough, The Most Calm I'd Been Within All The YEARS The VA Had Caused My Condition.... I Was A Basket Case For YEARS
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If you are in the Green Bay Wisconsin Area or even if you're not Please Check out our Vets Resources Page: https://cutwi.com/vets-resource-page.html
C.U.T. Wisconsin Vets Resource Page
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I don't understand the second chart and its significance. 988 calls are not within my purview. The issue that concerns me is the efficacy of the VA in regard to helping people with severe PTSD. None of the therapists I saw were able to tell me how to heal, hence I was a ship without a rudder.
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SrA Cecelia Eareckson
Zoloft was an enormous help to me. SSRI's are controversial, and the patient is not supposed to stay on it indefinitely, but it really helped. It was first prescribed by a civilian doctor, not VA. And I went through a period of muscle spasms, but it was worth it
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MAJ Ken Landgren
SrA Cecelia Eareckson - I am more into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. That is how I got much better, and it was self directed.
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