St. Cloud VA Encourages Supporters to ‘Be There’ for Veterans

ST. CLOUD -- September is Suicide Prevention Month and the St. Cloud VA is reminding Veterans and their loved ones small actions can make a big difference.

All month long the St. Cloud VA will be highlighting their "Be There" campaign.

Jeremy Maurstad is the Director of Mental Health at the St. Cloud VA. He says the VA offers many helpful resources, including the "Coaching Into Care" program.

It's an opportunity for anybody, including the veteran, to speak to a licensed psychologist or social worker about people in their life that need to tips on how to motivate a veteran into care.

Veterans concerned about mental health issues can receive same-day services at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center. Veterans can also call the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255.

Maurstad says they are committed to supporting Veterans experiencing difficult times and continue to grow their resources.

Our goal in the end is to be in every veterans home if they allow us to provide services to them. We have a number of unique video platforms to make mental health care available even in the most remote settings.

Maurstad says since the COVID-19 pandemic the St. Cloud VA has seen an uptick in mental health services.

He adds it's important if you know a veteran to reach out to them, look for the warning signs of suicide and help connect them with the resources they need.