Massachusetts announced the completion of a statewide Lethal Means Safety training initiative, which aimed to strengthen the state’s suicide-prevention efforts for veterans.
Funded through the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Grant, the Lethal Means Safety training focused on reducing access to firearms and medications during moments of crisis; a critical strategy because many suicide attempts occur impulsively, and firearms have a 90 percent fatality rate.
“Massachusetts continues to lead in veteran suicide prevention because we invest in people and communities,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “This training initiative will save lives by teaching practical skills, building confidence, and creating safer homes for veterans. I am proud of the teams that carried this work forward and grateful for the leadership of our veteran serving partners across the state.”
Over the past year, the Statewide Advocacy for Veterans Empowerment (SAVE) program and the Supporting and Empowering Reintegration for Veterans Equality (SERVE) program, led by Deputy Chief Engagement Officer for Peer Support and Outreach Lynette Gabrila delivered regional Lethal Means Safety trainings to strengthen community-level suicide prevention.
The teams developed and completed a 12-hour Train-the-Trainer curriculum that combined firearm safety, suicide prevention and trauma-informed care. The curriculum prepared SAVE and SERVE staff to train local partners and to integrate lethal means safety into ongoing outreach and casework.
“This investment reflects our commitment to protecting those who have protected us. Through this first-time grant program administered by the Office of Grants and Research, we are supporting the Executive Office of Veterans Services in their vital work of supporting veterans’ health and wellness, expanding suicide prevention education and raising awareness of the warning signs of a crisis,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Gina K. Kwon.” It also equips veteran service providers with the knowledge and resources needed to promote safety and honor the service and sacrifice of veterans across Massachusetts.”
Building on that foundation, SAVE and SERVE launched a five-county “Train the Community” series for Veterans Service Officers (VSOs), local organizations and community stakeholders.The trainings focused on how to identify risk, how to talk about firearms and medications in a respectful and nonjudgmental way and how to connect veterans and families to secure firearm storage, as well as crisis support. Participants reported meaningful gains in knowledge, confidence and practical skills, which included:
•53 community-based veteran service leaders completed the training
•96 percent reported increased knowledge of lethal means safety
•88 percent reported feeling more confident discussing suicide with veterans
•94 percent reported that the tools and language taught in the training were useful
•100 percent said they would recommend the training to other VSOs or veteran serving partners
•98 percent said they plan to apply the training in their work
As part of the program, the Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) also secured $110,000 in firearm safety equipment. This included 2,000 safes, 5,000 trigger locks and 5,000 cable locks. Each item was labeled with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the Veterans Crisis Line before being distributed at community trainings and outreach events.
Veterans make up approximately one in five adult firearm suicides, averaging 4,600 veteran firearm suicides every year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Women veterans experience a lethal means suicide rate that is more than 280 percent higher than that of non-veteran women, according to the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. In 2020, one of every nine suicides in Massachusetts involved someone with current or past military service.
“Veteran suicide continues to take far too many lives, and we must remain relentless in our response,” said Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago. “This initiative shows what proactive suicide prevention looks like. When communities understand the warning signs and know how to act, we save lives. I am grateful to our partners at the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and to every Veterans Service Officer who helped bring this training into their communities.”