JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- We fight together. It’s time we fight for each other.
After military suicide numbers reached an all-time high in 2012, Department of Defense components were challenged with identifying and attacking reasons behind each tragic loss, but more importantly, finding out how future cases could be prevented.
The Hickam Mental Health Clinic was awarded recognition for its suicide prevention program efforts made during Sept. 2016’s suicide prevention month at a ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Jan. 30, 2017.
The ceremony boasted speakers from the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, including its director, Dr. Keita Franklin.
“We have come a long way in the area of suicide prevention,” she said. “The idea that Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam was able to come up with this integrated, complex strategy that really got after the complexities of the problem is certainly distinguishable. We’re here today to offer recognition to this community.”
Out of 29 submission packages for the award, only one was issued to the Air Force.
The Hickam clinic focused its Sept. 2016 efforts on data surveillance, program assessment, advocacy, policy oversight, and outreach and education, strategic goals that the DSPO uses to reduce the risk for suicide.
“Every Airman’s overall health and wellbeing is a paramount concern to everybody here,” said Col. Christopher Paige, 15th Medical Group commander. “We don’t think that we have this problem solved. That’s not what this is about. We simply want to acknowledge the everyday work by some of our key players for such a complicated issue.”
Col. Paige thanked suicide prevention program managers and community partners for working together to prevent suicide on the island, as well as their service to the Wing’s medical group.
Dr. Franklin added the importance of prevention being more than just briefings and trainings, and stressed the positive focus on simple and pure human interaction.
“When we think about suicide prevention, one of the key things that we know is that getting after suicide is not about getting after mental health alone,” she said. “What we are finding is it’s more and more complex than ever before.”
For more information about the DOD’s efforts towards the prevention of suicide, please visit www.dspo.mil.