Suicide Prevention

Contact:

Aaron M. Ashworth
Mental Health and Suicide 
Prevention Programs Administrator
(405)227-7508

aaron.ashworth@odva.ok.gov

The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs is excited to participate in and oversee the operations of the Oklahoma Governor’s Challenge.

The Oklahoma Governor’s Challenge is our state’s effort to reduce and hopefully eliminate suicide for Oklahoma’s Service Members, Veterans, and their Families.  This effort is a national collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the SMVF TA (Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance) Center, and multiple other states and cities across the country.

Our mission is to build community partnerships and collaborations in order to help create ease of access to care and resources, identify gaps in our communities, and to implement statewide efforts to show we are fighting for those who so willingly fought for us.  Through these efforts, we hope to streamline care and resources for service members across the state.

Governor Stitt was also the first Governor to sign the PREVENTS (the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End the National Tragedy of Suicide) Proclamation.  This makes Oklahoma the first state to combine the President’s initiative with the National Governor’s Challenge model.  We are thankful that Governor Stitt has taken the time to make both of these efforts a priority in Oklahoma.