September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Brown County and south central Minnesota has several suicide prevention and support organizations. Last year the organizations came together to hold a kickoff event to help raise awareness with the public of the different programs available.

Representatives from the different groups were given a chance to speak on the services they provide.

Bernadette Schendel and Jean Bening spoke on behalf of the South Central Chapter of Compassionate Friends. The non-profit grief organization is for families that have experienced the death of a child of any age.

Schendel said Compassionate Friends is available for longterm assistance.

Scott Listberger and therapy dog Ali, attended the Suicide Prevention Awareness Month kick off held at the New Ulm Community Center Saturday representing Believet Canine Service Partners. Believet helps provide veterans suffering from PTSD with support dogs. Listberger said between 65 and 70 dogs have been placed with veterans. Recently, they have started “The Battle Buddy Puppy Program,” in which veterans serve as trainers for new service dogs.

“We’re here for the long haul, because grief does not end after six months, a year or several years,” Schendel said.

The chapter is supported from donations and sponsorships. South Central Minnesota Chapter meets at 7 p.m. the last Monday of each month at Redeemer Lutheran Church. In December, the chapter holds a special meeting on the second Sunday in December for a special candlelight meeting, which includes guest speakers and memorial slide show of loved ones.

Schendel said the meetings provide members to share their deepest feelings without judgement.

Tammy Diehn, founder of the suicide prevention and mental health organization 2B Continued, spoke on education and training that are effective at saving lives. Diehn said 2B Continued uses evidence based training recognized by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

The most popular training is Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR).

Tammy Diehn, founder of the suicide prevention and mental health organization 2B Continued, spoke at the Suicide Prevention Awareness Month kick off. She encourage more people to learn the Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) training. “It is the mental health version of CPR,” Diehn said. “It is three-steps anyone can take to save a life.” She encouraged everyone to train in QPR as the more people who know it, the more lives are saved.”

“It is the mental health version of CPR,” Diehn said. “It is three-steps anyone can take to save a life.”

She encouraged everyone to train in QPR as the more people who know it, the more lives are saved.

Diehn said 2B Continued has also provides suicide prevention training for agriculture fields. She said more than half of all suicides in Minnesota occur in the rural communities. Part of this is due to gaps in service. Rural areas have one professional for every 700 residents compare to one for every 100 in the metro area.

Brown County Yellow Ribbon was represented by Becky Miller. She said Brown County Yellow Ribbon is a smaller chapter of a larger organization. Their mission is to provide awareness and create a network of support to prevent suicide by removing barrier for those who need help.

Miller said many individuals are not comfortable speaking up about the need to help. Yellow Ribbon hosts several outreach program. Brown County Yellow Ribbon will host its annual “Shine the Light” event on Saturday, Sept. 6 in German Park. The event will include group speakers and a remembrance walk.

“We’re just trying to reach the veterans community that is struggling and trying them to get away through the darkness,” said Kirk Marsfield with Operation 23 to Zero. Marsfield and other suicide prevention attended a special kick off event Saturday for National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Marsfield said Operation 23 to Zero encourage people to become active in their communities. “By helping others, you are essentially helping yourself,” he said.

Later, Paul Severson from Beyond the Yellow Ribbon spoke on behalf of the sister organization that focuses on synchronizing community resources in support of service members and military families.

Severson said through Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program, volunteers are able to honor and embrace those impacted by military deployment and will with all other veteran organizations.

Several of the organization attending the kick off were connected with military as suicide rates are higher with veterans.

Amelia Williams with Mission 22 said the organization started because 22 veterans were committing suicide a day. Unfortunately, that number has risen.

“That number is way to high for me,” Williams said. “Even one is too high for me.”

She said often veterans come home from the service with trauma and invisible wounds.

Mission 22 is a national community that stands behind veterans and their families. Williams said they provided dedicated resources for spouses and children of veterans too because no one goes through healing alone.

“We stand in a gap where traditional systems fall short,” she said.

Kirk Marsfield with Operation 23 to Zero said the Faribault based organization had the same goal as Mission 22.

“We’re just trying to reach the veterans community that is struggling and trying them to get away through the darkness,” he said.

The organization accepts donations and put it back into the community. Marsfield said donations are used to pay veteran rent, utilities and vehicle repair.

“We try to instill a purpose in life,” Marsfield said. “We encourage people to become active in their communities. By helping others, you are essentially helping yourself.”

Another organization called Believet Canine Service Partners helps provide veterans suffering from PTSD with support dogs. Believet volunteer Scott Listberger said they can train an animal for what ever the veteran needs. They can help pick up items, turn on lights and even help with night terrors.

Listberger said between 65 and 70 dogs have been placed with veterans. Recently, they have started “The Battle Buddy Puppy Program,” in which veterans serve as trainers for new service dogs.

Eric Wittenberg with Minneapolis Veteran Affairs suicide prevention program brought information on mental health resources for veterans. He said a large part of his work was outreach. Wittenberg encouraged people to share information on the veteran crisis line.

“The good thing about the veterans crisis line is anyone can call,” he said. “If you are a friend or family member and concerned about a veteran and not sure what to do, you can give them a call and they will help you.”

Wittenberg said another focus of VA suicide prevention was safety. He said the majority of veterans who do commit suicide use firearms. The VA is working to provide gunlocks and lock boxes for those in crisis.

Kris Schneeberg representing the New Ulm American Legion and the American Legion Rider said nearly all veteran organizations were aware of the high rate of suicide among veterans and all were working on ways to help. The American Legion introduced the “Be The One” campaign. The idea is to encourage people be the one person who makes a difference when a veteran is in crisis.

“We know suicide is more prominent in veteran organizations,” Schneeberg said. He said this was because many veterans went head first into dangerous situations creating trauma, but he said trauma was not limited to the military, it can happen anywhere.

“To get help, it doesn’t matter which walk of life you are in, reach out,” Schneeberg said. “If you know someone who is having an issue, reach out and help them get some help.”

Organizer for the kick off event, Sue Brandes thanked all the groups and non-profits for attending and sharing their messages. She encouraged everyone to continue sharing information and resources with friends, family and anyone they meet.

Brandes said she was deeply moved by the amount of wonderful people in the community looking to help.