Vet to Vet Tennessee announced a new suicide prevention program to begin on January 6, 2020 in Monroe County Tennessee Schools. As a result of our Trinity Health Foundation Phase II grant and the “Worth It” project, VTVT has now developed a QPR Suicide Prevention Program in two categories:
Veteran/Military Friendly Lead Congregations and Middle/High Schools. Dr. Emily Hager, Ed Junod and Professor Paul Quinnett are working on a written format for our Worth It program and should have it completed in January 2020..
The school category was just created on December 4th after members of VTVT meet with the Director of Monroe County Schools Dr. DeAnna McClendon; 13 middle/high schools and one alternative school.. The school program we created has three phases:
Phase I – VTVT will provide 12 QPR Gatekeeper Instructor scholarships to all Monroe County School Counselors. Class is scheduled for January 6, 2020
Phase II – Newly trained school counselors will train all middle/high school students before the end of the spring semester beginning with the high school seniors. Guidelines for the youth Gatekeeper training has been provided by the QPR Institute.
Phase III – Worth It play to be performed by the Monroe County theatrical departments in May 2020.
We have been working with Monroe County since 2013 and have partnered with them on several successful programs including the Veterans Court, Expungement clinic, Celebrate Recovery, PTSD Awareness and Suicide Prevention. We have also established numerous Veteran/Military Congregations in Monroe County which is the core of our success.
We are grateful to Dr. McClendon for her vision, leadership and dedication to the youth of Monroe County. We continue to be supported by Monroe County Mayor Mitch Ingram, Veterans Court Judge Dwaine Thomas, Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones and other county and city officials. There vision and actions to improve the quality of life of every citizen of Monroe County is evident by their support, prayers and success.
We would also like to thank all of the Council members, Department of Veterans Affairs Council Liaisons, Covenant Health, Military Chaplains Association, QPR Institute, TSPN, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, Tonya Stoutt Brown, Samson Ferrell and VTVT mentors and volunteers for their continuous hard work, relentless dedication and prayers.