Saving lives through safety planning: New training offered at AdventHealth Porter

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, foster hope, and take action to prevent suicide in our communities. Among the most vulnerable populations are our veterans.

Veteran suicide remains a critical public health issue in the United States, with firearms being the most common method used in these tragic deaths. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 2024 annual report, 73% of veteran suicides involve a firearm which is significantly higher than the general population (52%). This stark reality underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions that address access to lethal means, particularly firearms.

One of the most effective strategies in suicide prevention is lethal means counseling, a collaborative process where healthcare providers work with veterans to reduce access to methods that could be used in a suicide attempt. This approach is not about restricting rights, rather creating time and space between a suicidal crisis and access to lethal tools, giving individuals a chance to survive and seek help.

The VA’s Firearm Suicide Prevention and Safety Training (FFAST) program was developed to engage veterans and their support person in conversations about safe storage and lethal means safety planning. FFAST emphasizes respectful, veteran-centered dialogue that promotes safety planning, encourages secure firearm storage, and supports veterans in making informed decisions about their well-being.

AdventHealth is proud to partner with the VA through the Face the Fight initiative, a national movement to prevent veteran suicide. As part of this effort, AdventHealth has been actively providing lethal means counseling and increasing access to gun safes and locks for veterans in our communities. We are now expanding our commitment by offering FFAST at AdventHealth Porter.

Safety planning around lethal means can include:

• Using gun safes or lockboxes
• Storing firearms unloaded and separately from ammunition
• Temporarily transferring firearms to trusted individuals during high-risk periods
• Including family or support systems in the planning process

These steps are simple but powerful. They can mean the difference between life and death.

If you or someone you know is a veteran interested in FFAST, call Call303-715-2300 to schedule an appointment or learn more about our services. Together, we can face the fight.