The suicide prevention training will take place Aug. 31 in the Kentucky International Convention Center.
American Legion Family members attending the 107th National Convention in Louisville, Ky., have an opportunity to support the organization’s Be the One mission to bring awareness to and end veteran suicide.
In-person Be the One training will take place on Monday, Aug. 31, in the Kentucky International Convention Center, Lower Level. Room location will be available soon.
Two 50-minute sessions will be provided:
- 2-2:50 p.m.
- 3-3:50 p.m.
“Be the One asks us to look out for each other, and the Columbia Protocol is the part that tells us how,” said William Call, director of American Legion Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division. “Imagine every one of us reaching out to one person this month and then doing it again the month after that. What we have is reach, and Monday is where we put it to work."
The training will be provided by Columbia University Lighthouse Project which uses the Columbia Protocol, the leading evidence-based tool for suicide risk screening. In this 50-minute session you will learn about the risks and protective factors associated with suicide and how to appropriately assess risk in fellow veterans and family members. The course will cover what to do if you are concerned that someone is at risk, and offer specific care pathways based on level of risk: who to call, what to say, how to stay with someone until they are safe.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify the warning signs and risk factors that actually identify suicide risk, and understand the myths and facts about suicide.
- Administer the Columbia Protocol (C-SSRS) in a real conversation, not a clinical setting
- Ask about suicide directly and confidently, understanding why asking reduces rather than increases risk
- Interpret a screening result and match it to the right level of response
- Execute a care pathway — warm handoff, crisis resources, and follow-up — including what to do when the person refuses help
- Apply means safety counseling in a way that respects firearm ownership
- Be the One