Cities Selected to Participate in Mayor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide

SAMHSA and the Department of Veterans Affairs Announce the Selection of Eight Cities to Provide Suicide Prevention Support for Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families

SAMHSA and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are proud to announce the following cities that will participate in the first group for the Mayor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families:

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Billings, Montana
Helena, Montana
Houston, Texas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Los Angeles, California
Phoenix, Arizona
Richmond, Virginia

These cities will form interagency teams to increase suicide prevention support for veterans in their communities. SAMHSA and VA identified these cities based on veteran population data, suicide prevalence rates, and capacity of the cities to lead the way in this first year of the Mayor’s Challenge.

The goal of the Mayor’s Challenge is to reduce suicides among service members, veterans, and their families using a public health approach to suicide prevention. The eight city teams will meet in Washington, DC, March 14–16 to develop strategic action plans for their communities. The teams will include members from community groups, local government, military, and others. SAMHSA’s Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families Technical Assistance Center will provide technical assistance to the teams.