From staff reports

ANNVILLE, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs has launched a statewide initiative aimed at reducing suicide among veterans, service members and their families.

The effort is supported by a $143,947 grant through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program.

State officials said the funding will expand suicide prevention efforts and increase outreach to service members, veterans and their families across the commonwealth.

“This funding allows us not only to continue, but to expand our critical work to reduce veteran suicide and strengthen support,” said Maj. Gen. John Pippy, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the department.

The initiative will focus on public education and safety strategies, including regional Lethal Means Safety events. Those events are designed to raise awareness about suicide prevention, promote safe firearm storage and provide safety planning resources.

Officials said the program will also support the distribution of firearm cable locks and other safe storage devices, including handgun cases and gun locks, to veterans.

Kirsten Kenyon, executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, said the initiative emphasizes collaboration and evidence-based strategies.

“Preventing suicide among our veteran population is a shared responsibility,” Kenyon said. “This partnership supports strategies that provide critical resources while reinforcing broader efforts to reduce gun violence and prevent suicide.”

The Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program was established under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 and is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. In Pennsylvania, the program is managed by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

According to state officials, veterans face a higher risk of suicide than the general population, prompting increased focus on prevention and support services statewide.