988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Missouri

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988, or chat online at https://missouri988.org/

Suicide is a national public health concern that affects all Missourians, including Service Members, Veterans, and their families (SMVF).

All Missouri health systems and communities must work together using the best available information and practices to prevent suicide.

There is hope. Together we can all help prevent suicide.

About the Missouri Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans & their Families (SMVF)

A partnership between U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) launched the Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenges to bring together leaders in community and state governments to prevent suicide among Service Members, Veterans and their Families (SMVF).
On February 1, 2021 Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed a letter of support for Missouri to participate in the Governor’s Challenge. A non-partisan state interagency team was created to embark on a process to collaborate, plan, and implement suicide prevention best practices and policies for SMVF statewide.

The National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide 2018-2028 provides Governor’s Challenge Teams a framework for identifying priorities. The strategic priorities work together to promote wellness, increase protection, reduce risk and promote effective treatment and recovery. The Missouri Governor’s Challenge team is focusing on three strategic priorities of the National Strategy: identify SMVF and screen for suicide risk, promote connectedness and improve care transitions, and increase lethal means safety and safety planning. There is evidence that these three priority areas can help in making a positive change to prevent suicide in Missouri.

Team Missouri

Tyler Hobbs

(Co-Lead)
Office of the
Governor

Jon Sabala

(Co-Lead)
MO Dept of
Mental Health

Kimberly Barragan

131st
Bomber Wing

Michael Binetsch

VA STL
Healthcare System

LTC Ryan Borgmeyer

LTC Ryan Borgmeyer

Missouri National
Guard

Jennifer DeLett Snyder

MO Dept of
Mental Health

Cindy Dorfner

VA STL
Healthcare System

Karen Funkenbusch

Missouri
AgrAbility

Meckenzie Hayes


Thank You

We would like to thank our past team members for their time and commitment to preventing suicide among Missouri’s service members, Veterans, and their families:

MAJ Adrienne Spaddavecchia – Missouri National Guard

Shams Chughtai – Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development

Natalie Cook – Missouri Behavioral Health Council

Stacey Williams – Missouri Department of Mental Health

Casey Muckler – Missouri Department of Mental Health

Jamie Birch – Office of the Governor