Alachua County has been awarded a $500,000 Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to strengthen suicide prevention efforts and expand support services for veterans throughout the community.
According to an Alachua County release sent Thursday, the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program supports community-based organizations and local governments in implementing suicide prevention strategies that connect veterans with life-saving resources and improve access to care.
The grant will enhance existing programs within Alachua County Community Support Services’ Veteran Services Division by identifying and engaging veterans who are not currently connected to VA healthcare or benefits. Through proactive outreach and coordination, the program will help veterans access VA healthcare, earned benefits and other supportive community resources.
Alachua County Veteran Services will collaborate with the Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center and Alachua County Crisis Center to bring together VA services, case management and the Mobile Response Team to reach unaffiliated veterans. The partnership will provide crisis intervention and stabilization, peer support and ongoing care coordination to help veterans receive timely and comprehensive assistance.
“Every veteran deserves access to the care and benefits they have earned,” said Olajuwon White, director of Alachua County Veteran Services, in the release. “This grant allows us to expand our outreach to veterans who may not be connected to available services, strengthen our partnerships, and ensure that veterans experiencing crisis receive coordinated, compassionate support when they need it most.”
The Alachua County collaborative will focus on:
- Identifying and engaging veterans at risk for suicide to reduce suicide risk and improve access to supportive services.
- Connecting unaffiliated veterans to VA healthcare, benefits and community-based resources to reduce barriers to care while improving long-term stability, health and wellness outcomes.
- Enhancing collaboration among local partners to provide coordinated crisis response, stabilization, follow-up services and ongoing care coordination.
Through the grant, Alachua County said it is reaffirming its commitment to serving veterans and their families by ensuring they have access to resources, support and coordinated care.
For more information, contact White at 352-264-6739 or owhite@alachuacounty.gov.