Citation

Gorman JA, Chamberlin ES, Stevenson BJ, Calixte R, Crossman DM, Ahern ME, Mack J, Russo A, Federman EJ. Community Ment. Health J. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10597-022-00969-z

PMID

35524906

Abstract

Increasing social connection and access to care has been found to decrease the rate of suicide in U.S. veterans. The Veteran Outreach Into the Community to Expand Social Support (VOICES) is an intervention developed by Department Veteran Affairs (VA) staff to improve social connection and provide information about services by implementing community-based Veterans Socials. Seventy veterans at eight locations completed an anonymous cross-sectional survey. This evaluation examined three domains, acceptability (i.e., perceived value), demand (i.e., estimated or actual use), and expansion (i.e., sustainability and increase of Veterans Socials across time and locations).

FINDINGS indicated considerable levels of acceptability, demand for, and expansion of this intervention. Additionally, data suggested this intervention may increase social connection and utilization of VA services among attendees.

Language: en

Keywords

Veterans; Suicide prevention; Coffee socials; Community engagement; Social connectedness