The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs will host its Fourth Annual Suicide Prevention Summit on Friday, Sept. 10 at 9 a.m. The summit will be geared toward one purpose: ensuring all leave the event as better suicide prevention advocates than when they arrived.

The goal is to provide effective training and thoroughly deliver instruction that will increase understanding of suicidal ideology and how to assist those in danger. Attendees will look at what efforts are being utilized in Louisiana to prevent suicide. There will also be multiple community vendors set up and each will provide information about their respective organizations and how they assist in the prevention of suicide.

Guest speakers include:

Letosha Kelly SMVF Liaison Governor’s Suicide Prevention Challenge Team Leader

Laurie Guillory, LCSW-BACS Suicide Prevention Social Worker REACH VET Coordinator VISN 16 Suicide Prevention Lead

Raymond P. Tucker, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Clinical Psychology Louisiana State University

Michael A. Cushman Brig. Gen., USAF (Ret.) Military Advisor to Veterans Court 22nd Judicial District Court of Louisiana

Lunch will be served following the summit. This will also serve as an opportunity to network with other suicide prevention experts, advocates, doctors and veterans from around the state of Louisiana.

The event will be held at American Legion Post 38 located at 151 S. Wooddale Blvd. in Baton Rouge. If you cannot attend the summit in person, please feel free to join us via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/…/reg…/WN_Cr9awpBlRoKxZK0-pKswKw. Registration is required. Please note that you do not have to be a veteran to attend this event. It is open to veterans and organizations that serve veterans, but also to the general public. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Director of Outreach Larry Williams at larry.williams@la.gov or 225.276.8626.