Event

As part of an ongoing collaborative suicide prevention effort, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hosted a “Safe Messaging to Prevent Veteran Suicide Media Roundtable” for reporters to discuss suicide contagion and the role media plays in suicide prevention.

Our words matter, and research tells us that the way the media covers the topic of suicide can either help to promote hope or increase risk for people thinking about suicide. The media roundtable focused on safe messaging and reporting on suicide to encourage help-seeking behavior, instill hope, and decrease unintended risks for those with suicidal thoughts or grieving the loss of a loved one due to suicide.

Leaders from the Action Alliance and VA  were joined by some of the nation’s top messaging experts:

• Ms. Colleen Carr, Director, National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
• Dr. Keita Franklin, Executive Director, Suicide Prevention, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Executive Committee Member, Action Alliance
• Dr. Jerry Reed, Senior Vice President for Practice Leadership, Education Development Center, Inc.; Executive Committee Member, Action Alliance
• Dr. Dan Reidenberg, Executive Director, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education; Member, Action Alliance’s Changing the Conversation Priority     
• Ms. Kim Ruocco, Vice President of Suicide Prevention and Postvention, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors; Member, Action Alliance’s Changing the Conversation Priority     
• Leo Shane, III, Deputy Editor, Military Times

Access the webcast recording!