Washington, DC, March 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NoVetAlone, a non-profit focused on reducing military veteran and first responder suicide by improving health and resilience, announced the launch of LifeAid, a new national initiative focused on starting a much-needed conversation about what should be done differently to reduce Veteran and first responder suicide. Cerner Government Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cerner Corporation, a global health care technology company, joined the LifeAid initiative as the founding sponsor.
Today, more military Veterans and first responders die by suicide than in the line of duty,1a staggering 20 die by suicide every day.2 As the number of global coronavirus cases continues to climb, concern over mental health is also increasing. Adjusting to life under lockdown is proving to be rather difficult for this at-risk group already struggling with anxiety, depression and feelings of isolation. LifeAid intends to combat this epidemic by bridging emerging technologies and functional medicine with peer and caregiver support, research and community activation. With a diverse team of experts conducting research and collecting data throughout the process, LifeAid will develop a new protocol for faster and more precise diagnoses and treatments aimed at reducing suicide in the Veteran and first responder communities.
“We are honored to be launching this initiative with Cerner, our Founding Sponsor,” said John Wordin, founder and chairman of NoVetAlone. “We are addressing the physical health of the brain in a new way, that will reduce mental health symptoms. LifeAid approaches this on a large, national scale to reverse the trend. We know we cannot do this alone and I invite all the phenomenal organizations and leaders who have been working tirelessly to solve this problem to join us. Together we can improve overall health and empower military Veterans, first responders and their families.”
To raise awareness, LifeAid is igniting a national conversation about suicide. Their national campaign will focus on reducing the stigma of mental health and brain injuries that often prevent at-risk Veterans and first responders from seeking support before they are in crisis. As the founding sponsor, Cerner, the prime contractor supporting the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Electronic Health Record Modernization program, is helping drive awareness and connect communities to reach the goals of the LifeAid initiative.
“The advancements being driven by our federal clients are ushering in a new era of health care innovation that will arm clinicians and care teams with the tools and real-time data they need to combat suicide,” said Travis Dalton, president of Cerner Government Services. “As a health care technology company focused on bringing breakthrough innovation to the federal government, we have a moral and ethical responsibility to support at-risk Veterans. I urge every American to join us to support LifeAid and end this epidemic.”
The initiative’s first public service announcement produced by Al Roker Entertainment was released online today and will drive viewers to visit LifeAidHope.org to get involved, learn more or donate to help provide services to military Veterans and first responders at no cost.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, text to 838255, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
2 “Suicide Among Veterans and Other Americans.” Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2951.
About No Vet Alone
No Vet Alone raises money to provide military veterans and first responders with targeted and personalized mental health treatments. The organization focuses on suicide prevention by combining technology, functional medicine and community engagement to improve brain health and produce more effective outcomes.
About Cerner
Cerner Corporation’s health technologies connect people and information systems in thousands of contracted provider facilities worldwide dedicated to creating smarter and better care for individuals and communities. Recognized globally for innovation, Cerner assists clinicians in making care decisions and assists organizations in managing the health of their populations. The company also offers an integrated clinical and financial system to help manage day-to-day revenue functions, as well as a wide range of services to support clinical, financial and operational needs, focused on people. For more information, visit Cerner.com, The Cerner Blog or connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or The Cerner Podcast. Nasdaq: CERN. Health care is too important to stay the same.
For more information about how you can get involved, please visit LifeAidHope.org. You can also follow the company on Twitter @NoVetAlone Facebook www.facebook.com/novetalone and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/novetalone/