Delaware Governor’s Challenge
Preventing Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, & Their Families
Dear Partners and Governor’s Challenge Participants,
Over the past several years, Delaware’s Governor’s Challenge team has brought together dedicated community partners, providers, agencies, peers, advocates, and organizations committed to improving suicide prevention efforts for Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF). Your involvement helped create meaningful progress across the State, and we are reaching out as we look toward continuing and strengthening this important work together. We will be collaborating with the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and the Behavioral Health Consortium.
The Governor’s Challenge is a national initiative supported through collaboration between the VA and SAMHSA that helps States develop coordinated, community-based suicide prevention strategies tailored to the needs of Veterans and military-connected populations. The work is grounded in evidence-based public health approaches and focuses on strengthening partnerships, improving access to care and support, promoting connectedness, and reducing suicide risk across communities.
While important progress has been made, we also recognize there is more work to do. Many Veterans remain disconnected from services and support systems, and suicide prevention cannot rest solely within healthcare settings. Strong community partnerships and cross-sector collaboration remain essential to ensuring Veterans and their families are identified, supported, connected, and safe.
As we continue building on these efforts throughout Delaware, we wanted to reconnect with partners who have previously participated in the Governor’s Challenge initiative and share some examples of work that has taken place across the three priority areas.
About the Delaware Governor’s Challenge
Suicide is a public health challenge that impacts individuals, families, and communities across the country. Delaware is no exception.
Responding to the need for a state-wide suicide prevention effort, Delaware has partnered with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to bring the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, to communities throughout Delaware.
Delaware Governor’s Challenge is being led by Kerry Berry, Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Our mission is to facilitate support, connectedness, and safety planning to reduce veteran suicide risk.
Priority Areas
SMVF Suicide Prevention Model
This suicide prevention model takes a public health approach to someone’s care, taking into account the full scope of a person’s needs and how to implement best practices.
Meet Delaware’s Team
Team Leader Governors Challenge: Karen Berry, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Team Lead Priority Area 1: Dr Gerard Gallucci, Medical Admin Research & Training
Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Team Lead Priority Area 2: Jaime Kazmarck LCSW, Community Engagement & Partnership Coordinator, Wilmington VA Medical Center
Team Co-Lead Priority Area 2: Valerie Harwood, Outreach Specialist, Wilmington VA Medical Center
Team Lead Priority Area 3: Traci Manza Murphy, Executive Director, Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence
Team Co-Lead Priority Area 3: Dr. Debbie Harrington, retired COL US Army