St. Cloud VA Health Care System Aims to Raise Awareness of the Veterans Crisis Line With Yard Sign Campaign

(KNSI) – The St. Cloud VA Health Care System is launching a yard sign campaign ahead of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month to help increase awareness of the Veterans Crisis Line.

The Veterans Crisis Line is free and confidential for any veteran to use, even if they are not currently enrolled or registered with VA health care. Family members and friends who are concerned about a veteran in their life can also use it. The Veterans Crisis Line will connect to a local suicide prevention coordinator, many of whom are veterans. The line can be reached at 1-800-273-8255 and press one, or by texting 838255. The line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Learn more by clicking here.

According to a press release from the St. Cloud VA Health Care System, they hope to place a thousand yard signs around central Minnesota. People are asked to distribute at least five yard signs and keep them on their lawns for as long as possible. Larger quantities are available upon request.

To order a sign, contact the St. Cloud VA Suicide Prevention Team at 320-252-1670, extension 67199, or fax 320-255-6389. Order forms can also be filled out by clicking here.

Orders received by August 20th can be picked up at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center and the clinics in Alexandria, Brainerd, and Montevideo. Orders placed after August 20th can use the same ordering information and make individual arrangements for a later pick-up. Find locations and addresses by clicking here.

According to the 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, roughly 18 veterans per day die by suicide.

National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is observed each year in September.

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