JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – In a significant effort to enhance mental health support services for veterans, the University of Jamestown (UJ) has partnered with the Governor’s Challenge. This initiative, facilitated through the ND Cares Program, is dedicated to preventing suicide among service members, veterans, and their families.
Today, ND Cares and the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) officially recognized UJ’s efforts with a declaration signing ceremony.
UJ’s Master of Clinical Counseling (MCC) program initiated this partnership by offering Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) training to North Dakota professionals. This crucial step aims to reduce access to methods used in suicide and strengthen support networks for veterans.
To date, this initiative has trained over 100 individuals, with UJ’s MCC program awarding more than 90 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to licensed professionals, including counselors, addiction specialists, and social workers.
“We are witnessing an overwhelming response, which highlights the critical need and impact of these training sessions,” said Elsie Motter, MBA, MS, LMAC, LPCC-S, Director of Clinical Counseling & Behavioral Health at UJ. “We are privileged to contribute to the education and support of our veterans.”
Rob Keller, Vice Chair of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) emphasized the importance of community and university support: “Across North Dakota, there are 56,000 veterans living and working in our communities. We recognize UJ for playing a vital role in supporting these individuals as they work, live, and study in the community.”
“The timing of this partnership is impeccable,” said Army National Guard COL Benjamin Cleghorn, Chief of Staff. “It coincides with the return of 122 members of the 817th Engineer Company (Sapper) of the North Dakota Army National Guard from Jamestown. This collaboration is significant as these service members demobilize and return home-they will know that you support ND Cares and them.”
Cleghorn also noted the alarming veteran suicide rate nationwide, reflecting on the recent loss of a veteran and the over 6,000 veterans who have taken their lives nationwide.
Cynthia Whitesell, Co-Chairman of ND Cares, highlighted the coalition’s mission: “Our goal is to support active-duty veterans, retirees, their families, and survivors. One of our biggest initiatives is to reduce suicides,” said Whitesell. “Thank you to UJ for your assistance in administering CEUs for those taking the CALM training. We can all recognize the increasing prominence of mental health needs in our communities.”
The Governor’s Challenge emphasizes identifying individuals at risk, promoting connectedness and care transitions, and enhancing safety planning. UJ plans to expand this initiative further in 2025, offering new training focused on safety planning, reinforcing its commitment to serving those who have served the nation.
For more information about this program, please contact Sarah Kemp-Tabbut, LCSW, Community Engagement and Partnerships Coordinator with Public Health Suicide Prevention for Veterans, at sarah.kemptabbut@va.gov. The next training is scheduled for December 11, 2024. A signup form for future classes is available at this website: https://forms.office.com/r/
For more information about the University of Jamestown, please visit UJ.edu or call (701) 252-3467. Additional photos and video from the announcement can be downloaded here: https://uj1883.pixieset.com/