FORT SMITH, Ark. — The Guidance Center in Fort Smith in coordination with Governor Hutchison’s office and the Legislative CARES Act Steering Committee is launching a veteran-focused suicide prevention initiative.
This mission is called "Saving the 22, Vets Helping Vets". 'Saving the 22' is a reference to the estimated number of veterans across the country who take their life. The Guidance Center says the focus of this mission is to, "empower military veteran’s to redirect those ‘battle buddies’, or simply other familiar veterans who might be following a path toward suicidal behaviors, toward a practical, solution-focused set of resources for intervention, needs provision, and problem remediation so those ‘at risk veterans’ will have a sense of hope, connectedness, and meaning, which when absent, can be causes of veteran suicide."
The Guidance Center will be partnering with local homeless resources, veteran frequented organizations, food banks, and other Veteran-centric organizations in order to reach as many veteran and/or veteran represented families. They will be training staff and volunteer veterans to recognize, react to, and obtain help for their fellow veterans in the future that might consider suicide. This will be applied to all 9 Guidance Centers located at Sebastian, Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Scott, and Polk counties.
Veterans who are interested in helping spread the word that suicide is not the answer, but that real answers do exist, or that would like to have literature and/or a yard sign, may contact their local Guidance Center office to obtain materials at no cost.