The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has secured a $600,000 cooperative agreement grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help develop Suicide Mortality Review (SMR) programs in two pilot counties, York and Westmoreland. Pennsylvania is one of only 10 states and two territories to receive this grant.

SMR programs are conducted by county committees, which access multiple sources of clinical and nonclinical information that provide a deeper understanding of the circumstances surrounding a death. These committees then develop recommendations for action to prevent similar deaths among veterans in the future. 

The cooperative agreements are part of a broader SMR program within the VA's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Governor's Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans and their Families (SMVF). The DMVA is Pennsylvania's lead on the Governor's Challenge, which includes 55 states and territories. Participants work to implement state-wide suicide prevention best practices and learn from stakeholders nationwide.

To learn more about the DMVA, visit http://www.dmva.pa.gov, http://www.facebook.com/padmva or www.twitter.com/padmva.