Governor's Challenge

The Murphy Administration accepted an invitation from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to participate in the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans and Their Families (SMVF). The Challenge is a call to action to collaborate, plan, and implement suicide prevention SMVF best practices and policies.

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 three best policy and practice priorities include: identify SMVF and screen for suicide risk, promote connectedness and improve care transitions, and increase lethal means safety and safety planning.