Appendix A
Symposium Agenda
Community Interventions to Prevent Veteran Suicide:
The Role of Social Determinants
A Symposium
March 28–29, 2022
Time EDT
SYMPOSIUM OBJECTIVES
To gain a better understanding of social determinants influencing the recent increase in suicide risk and how currently available practice guidelines can inform community-level preventive interventions, particularly those targeting veteran populations. The symposium will address: the relevant social, cultural, and economic factors driving changes in suicide risk among veterans (1) and ways that current best practices for suicide prevention and treatment can be applied at the community level (2).
DAY ONE
11:00 | Welcoming Remarks from DBASSE and Introductions |
Samantha Chao, Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (DBASSE) |
11:10 | Welcoming Remarks from the Sponsor |
Matthew Miller, Executive Director of VA Suicide Prevention, Department of Veterans Affairs | |
11:20 | Overview of Meeting Agenda and Framing the Symposium |
Timothy Strauman, Committee Chair, Duke University |
Session One: Overview and Understanding of the Evidence on Social, Cultural, and Economic Determinants Related to Suicide
In this session speakers will:
- define terms (e.g., social determinants of health [SDOH]; risk and protective factors for suicide; etc.)
- summarize the evidence on the social, cultural, and economic factors related to suicide in the general population, and among veterans
- provide a common ground understanding of factors that contribute to suicide among veterans at individual (micro) and system/societal (macro) levels
- summarize research on the particular influences of social, cultural, and economic determinants of suicide and other health-related outcomes on unique groups of people; and discuss the implication for interventions
Committee Moderator: Debra Houry, CDC
11:30 | Sandro Galea (NAM), Boston University – Overview of social determinants of health (SDOH) |
11:45 | Eric Elbogen, Duke University; VA National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans – Financial distress and suicide |
12:00 | Irma Elo, University of Pennsylvania – Trends, disparities, and explanations for suicide mortality among working age adults |
12:15 | Q & A |
Committee Moderator: Evelyn Lewis, Retired Navy, Veterans Health and Wellness Foundation
12:30 | Nathaniel Mohatt, VA RMIRECC and University of Colorado – SDOH and suicide/other health outcomes among rural populations |
12:45 | Pamela End of Horn, Indian Health Service – SDOH and suicide/other health outcomes among American Indian/Native Alaska populations |
1:00 | Claire Hoffmire, VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention – SDOH and suicide/other health outcomes among women |
1:15 | Q & A |
1:30 | LUNCH BREAK |
Committee Moderator: Rajeev Ramchand, Rand
2:15 | John Blosnich, University of Southern California – SDOH and suicide/other health outcomes among LGBTQ+ populations |
2:30 | Kim Van Orden, University of Rochester Medical Center – SDOH and suicide/other health outcomes among elderly populations |
2:45 | Sean Joe, Washington University in St. Louis – Dual trends of increasing suicide rates among Black youth and projected increases of Black/African American veterans |
3:00 | Q & A |
Session Two: Community Interventions to Address Social, Cultural, and Economic Determinants
This session will have two panels focusing on community interventions and elements of community interventions and coalitions that have been used to prevent suicide and other health outcomes.
Topics to be covered:
- What social, cultural, and economic determinants of health does the community intervention address? How are these measured?
- What are the public health outcomes targeted for change/impact?
- What are the main program components of the community intervention?
- Are “coalitions/community partnerships/collaborations” a primary component of the community intervention?
- What are the key elements of the “coalitions/community partnerships/collaborations”? How are these measured?
- How is measurement used to assess program implementation, progress, and outcomes?
- What is the evidence base for the community intervention? Have population outcomes been measured?
- What guidance/ideas about competencies and strategies could be offered, as well as blueprints for developing community interventions?
PANEL A. Community Interventions for Suicide Prevention and Support for Veterans
Committee Moderator: Lisa Brenner, University of Colorado; MIRECC
3:15 | VA GOVERNOR’S CHALLENGE INITIATIVE ON SUICIDE PREVENTION – Nicola Winkel, Arizona Governor’s Challenge and Arizona Coalition for Military Families |
3:30 | LETHAL MEANS SAFETY – Joseph Simonetti, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center; University of Colorado |
3:45 | CDC “PREVENTING SUICIDE: A TECHNICAL PACKAGE OF POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PRACTICES” – Debra Houry (NAM) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
4:00 | Q & A |
PANEL B. Community Interventions for Varied Applications in Housing, Health, and Safety
Committee Moderator: Tim Strauman, Chair, Duke University
4:30 | SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN FAMILIES – Jack Tsai, University of Texas, Houston; Veterans Health Administration, Homeless Programs Office |
4:45 | FROM NETWORKS TO COLLECTIVE IMPACT: WHICH FORM OF COLLABORATION IS BEST FOR YOU? – Holly Raffle, Ohio University |
Community level interventions to address social determinants of health are built on interorganizational networks that link people, neighborhoods, communities, and public and private organizations in design, implementation, and evaluation. This presentation will highlight various forms of such collaboration as well as their characteristics, requirements, and processes. | |
5:00 | PLACE-BASED INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS VACANCY AND ABANDONMENT – Charles Branas (NAM), Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Theory, evidence, and examples of place-based interventions to improve environments and help create safe and healthy neighborhoods. |
5:15 | Q & A |
5:30 | Wrap Up for Day 1; Charge for Day 2 Timothy Strauman |
5:35 | Adjourn Day One |
DAY TWO
11:00 | Opening Remarks and Overview of Day Two Timothy Strauman, Duke University |
11:10 | Introduction to Breakout Exercises and Getting Set up in Zoom Breakout Rooms Molly Dorries and Ashton Bullock, Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences |
11:30 | Interactive Breakout Sessions Participants will be divided into breakout groups. The task of each group is to apply information gained from the first day of the symposium to processes of designing, implementing, and evaluating community interventions. |
1:00 | LUNCH BREAK |
1:45 | Reports and Discussion from Breakout Groups Rajeev Ramchand, RAND |
3:15 | BREAK |
3:30 | Synthesis of Symposium Sessions Timothy Strauman and Committee |
4:00 | Adjourn Symposium |