Suicide Prevention

An annual event raising awareness around mental health and suicide returned to St. Cloud in its full form on Sunday.

Learn how to combat an unnecessary tragedy in our state.

Today on WJON I talked with Public Affairs Officer Barry Venable and Community Engagement Partnership Coordinator Laura Kuntsleben from the St. Cloud V.A. Barry talked about the V.A. plan to make flu shots available to veterans by using a drive up at the Municipal Athletic Complex in September and October and at the V.A. parking lot in October.

WJON's Health Matters program addressed the topic of suicide and suicide prevention. My guests included Bethany Oberg with the Community Alert Mental Health Initiative and David Faust with Stonehouse Resources. Both are members of the Central Minnesota Suicide Prevention Coalition.

A community event to raise suicide awareness and prevention in central Minnesota will be held Tuesday night.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is calling on lawmakers to set aside $969,000 to keep the state's only suicide prevention hotline from closing.

Helping prevent veteran suicide is the goal of a nationwide program the St. Cloud VA is taking part in, where they're giving away free gun locks.

Today on our Voices For Veterans segment I talked with Barry Venable (Public Affairs Officer) and Mary Jo Pine (Suicide Prevention Coordinator) about Suicide Prevention. September is suicide prevention month.