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Resilience, Hope, Encouragement: September is Suicide Prevention Month, but it is important Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Awareness is important every day. Over the last two decades the U.S. Government has started three nation suicide prevention strategies. In the same time frame, the U.S. Military Services—jointly and individually—have also pushed suicide prevention strategies. Despite these efforts suicide rates have continued to rise. There are multiple factors and hurdles faced by suicide prevention strategies. (See Decades of National Suicide Prevention Policies Haven’t Slowed the Deaths https://lnkd.in/gchwWZkD). We use Suicide Prevention Month as a time to reflect on the existing efforts, programs and strategies to identify areas for improvement. We should also consider the broader areas of Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness, Mental Health Stigma, Behavioral Health Integration, etc. Perhaps we should consider Universal Suicide Screening (Is It Time for Universal Suicide Screening? https://lnkd.in/gFJx2CRK). Perhaps we should consider 988 and crisis line information on identity cards (New York Requires 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Information Shared and Added to College Student ID Card https://lnkd.in/gnE7jXXC). We must realize mental health and suicide prevention is not about a strategy, a program, or an effort alone. That does not mean we should do nothing; in fact, the opposite is true. We can do our best every day to promote mental health and well-being in those around us. We can check on others, model resilience, and foster hope. We can strive to be an encourager for those struggling. #SuicidePrevention ?#SuicidePreventionMonth #988Lifeline #SPM24 Paul Nelson Dave Lewis Mary Bartlett Mike Newton Charles Montoya