April 4, 2022 (Repost from NYAPRS ENews)
CARES UP program will provide support to law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical service members, corrections officers, and military Veterans.
The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) today announced funding for a new initiative to strengthen resiliency and suicide prevention efforts among military Veterans and uniformed personnel, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical service members, and corrections officers.
The program is called CARES UP (Changing the Conversation, Awareness, Resilience, Empower Peers, Skills Building/ Suicide Prevention for Uniformed Personnel) and was developed by the New York State Office of Mental Health’s Suicide Prevention Center (OMH SPCNY).
OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “CARES UP will provide much-needed mental wellness support to first responders, uniformed personnel, and military Veterans – all of whom are at an elevated risk for suicide compared to the general population in New York State. CARES UP programming will support resiliency and wellness among our veterans and uniformed personnel and will ultimately save lives and protect our communities.”
Funding for Veterans’ Agencies
The awards include $210,000 for three Veteran-serving organizations:
- Tioga County Veterans’ Service Agency
- WNY Heroes, Inc.
- The PFC Joseph P. DwyerVeterans Peer Support Program of Rensselaer County
The funds will be used to increase participation in a model national program called the Expiration of Term of Service Sponsorship Program (ETS-SP). This program assists service members and Veterans as they shift from military to civilian life by connecting them with a local volunteer peer sponsor. The program focuses on the first year of post-military life, a timeframe associated with high rates of homelessness, criminal justice involvement, alcohol and substance use, unemployment, and suicide among Veterans. Using peer-reviewed, evidence-based best practices, ETS Sponsors are trained and certified to build relationships and resiliency.