News

This was written by Valery P. Behr, Loan Guaranty Service, Veterans Benefits Administration.

On September 30th from 8:00am-5:00pm the Together with Veterans Minot Chapter is holding a Rural Veteran Suicide Prevention Summit. The summit is taking place in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall on Minot State University's Campus. Registration is due by September 20th. 

The new facility will allow expansion of outpatient services in the areas of post traumatic stress disorder, behavioral health and substance use disorder.

FirstLink is offering Suicide Risk Assessment Webinars once a month for the next nine months. These trainings are sponsored by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. Participants will learn to effectively use the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) screening tool. Through this tool,
participants will learn to assess suicide risk and what appropriate next steps to take in a suicide crisis. The first training is taking place on September 6th from 1:00-2:00pm. 

The Bismarck/Mandan area Out of Darkness Walk is going to be held on Sunday, September 8, 2024, at 12pm on the State Capitol Grounds. 

The Suicide Prevention Coalition is hosting their 7th Annual Conference at the Bismarck Career Academy on September 5th from 8:00am to 4:30pm. The theme for this year's conference is Providing Hope Across Generations and the topics they will focus on are Adverse Childhood Experiences, Teens and social media, and Vicarious Trauma. They will also host an event on September 4th from 6:30-9:00pm that highlights International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. 

August 10, 2024, was the second anniversary of the PACT Act, which ushered in a new era of VA benefits and health care for Veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards during their service. If you have a question about the PACT Act, please go to VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MyVA411.

Have you been charged a fee to file a VA disability claim or promised a 100% disability rating? These are tactics that Claim Predators use to prey on Veterans and their loved ones and steal their disability entitlements. If you have experienced this, you can file a report at www.vsafe.gov or by calling the fraud hotline at 833-38V-SAFE (8-7233).

Save the date to help clean and beautify the Fargo National Cemetery on the National Day of Service and Remembrance in Honor of Patriot Day! Join volunteers on September 11th at 9:30am. You can sign up for the event here.

Former Navy Petty Officer Lonnie Bedwell will be the Keynote speaker at the "Night for Sight" Gala and Silent auction at 6:PM on Thursday October 3, 2024 at the Avalon Event Center in Fargo ND. The event is hosted by the "Haiti Eye Mission" and will be Emceed by 2021 Miss North Dakota Reyna Bergstrom.