Strategic action 1:
Promote connectedness
& help-seeking
Action Item 1.1
Annually attend and participate in 20 community events, resource fairs, events to include farmers market, and meetings to increase awareness of Together With Veterans by 2024.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee members
Resources Needed: Flyers, TWV Swag including gun locks. Funding, advertising, email newsletters.
Action steps/processes:
- Restock TWV swag marketing materials
- Create an Excel Spreadsheet to track #/name of events, # of Veteran Served- (this can be tracked on Portal. – Use Monthly report to track – Send a report to Valentina)
- Create a promotional/information flier/reference sheet for the steering committee.
- Joyful Art/Community Event: in late spring: work with NFO Arts classes, writers–SOMOS, musicians, bowl spinning, have food, invite community.
Strategic action 1:
Promote connectedness
& help-seeking
Action Item 1.2
Annually facilitate and participate in 4 community workshops, i.e., arts and crafts tailored to Veterans in Taos County to increase camaraderie by 2024.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee members
Resources Needed: Flyers, TWV Swag including gun locks. Funding, advertising, email newsletters.
Action steps/processes:
- Send a report to Valentina by the end of the month.
- Jennifer can track and help organize events like the Paseo Project Arts for Military just completed. 6/10/23. Time frame – current – end of 2023.
Strategic action 1:
Promote connectedness
& help-seeking
Action Item 1.3
Annually facilitate outreach in Taos and Rio Arriba Counties.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee members
Resources Needed: Vehicles, information, volunteers, phones, computers
Action steps/processes:
Create a centralized database of veterans in Taos County with detailed information and the status of contact (in person, on phone, etc. last contacted).
- Knock on remote doors when necessary and safe.
- Ensure that the people in this database are contacted in relation to every event, workshop, resource fair, etc.
Strategic action 2:
Improve communications across veteran-serving programs
Action Item 2.1
Host a luncheon for Veterans and their families to increase awareness of programs and services.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee members, Veterans Off-Grid
Resources Needed: Funding, venue, advertising, and outreach.
Action steps/processes:
- Schedule our first luncheon during Veterans Day in Taos
- Schedule our 2nd luncheon in Penasco
Strategic action 2:
Improve communications across veteran-serving programs
Action Item 2.2
Join Unite Us to improve relationship building and resource development to better support Taos County Veterans.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee, Unite Us, VNL
Resources Needed: UniteUs-referral system
Action steps/processes:
- Asset Mapping: VA, REd Cross, USO, NFO, VOG, TWV, 100% TCI, American Legion, VUB, TAos Pueblo Veterans, MAS Comunidad, Behavioral Health agencies, Medical agencies, Dennis Romero–Taos LEAD
Strategic action 2:
Improve communications across veteran-serving programs
Action Item 2.3
Leverage the Asset Mapping tool to bridge communication gaps between agencies.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee, Unite Us, VNL
Resources Needed: VNL partner ToolKit,
Action steps/processes:
- Challenge: How do we continue to keep communications between agencies open?
- Asset Mapping: VA, REd Cross, USO, NFO, VOG, TWV, 100% TCI, American Legion, VUB, TAos Pueblo Veterans, MAS Comunidad, Behavioral Health agencies, Medical agencies, Dennis Romero–Taos LEAD
Strategic action 3:
Provide suicide prevention training
Action Item 3.1
Facilitate/schedule 4 QPR Suicide Prevention Gate Keeper trainings for the community to increase education of early signs of suicide and appropriate assisting of people at risk by 2024.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Recommend Rich Kalenka, the VOG Case Manager can organize, advertise, sign people up; ensure training happens in communities outside the Town of Taos, too–Carson, Questa, Penasco
Resources Needed: Funding, venue
Action steps/processes:
• All Steering Committee members are QPR trained
• QPR at: DreamTree, Questa, Penasco, Taos Pueblo, Carson
• Train more trainers to train QPR
• Pay $150/training
• Jennifer to meet with Rich; week of 6/19
• Connect with Rich Kalenka to schedule training for Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Gate Keeper training Train-the-trainer certifications.
• Schedule QPR training at Carson Cafe on Dec. 13
• Schedule QPR training for Jan or Feb 2024
- How to spread the word to veterans and others re: QPR training:
- Flyers in Food Distribution: Questa Food Bank, Shared Table,
- SPOT/Penasco, NFO–Food Boxes
- Flyers through Harm Reduction agencies
- Flyers through Churches, Pueblo Color Guard, Gyms,
- Dispensaries
- Jennifer: ask VOG case manager to schedule train the trainer QPR
Strategic action 4:
Promote lethal means safety
Action Item 4.1
Invite and encourage local firearm retailer owners and staff to TWV steering committee and community meetings.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee, Dennis Romero
Resources Needed: Marketing materials, training materials and promotional one-pagers to share
Action steps/processes:
- Reach out to gunshops – Gunslingers, Big 5, Walmart
- Connect with Dennis Romero/LEAD
- Prescription take back events, gun locks
Strategic action 4:
Promote lethal means safety
Action Item 4.2
Develop 2 Little Love Libraries to increase awareness of lethal means safety.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee, Tripp
Resources Needed: Funding
Action steps/processes:
- Signs at the bridge
- Stages of prevention: catch at bridge, catch before going
- Connect with TruKids1 to make signs, videos re: suicide, at the
- Bridge particularly
- Support Tripp’s organization: what assistance do they need
Strategic action 5:
Enhance primary care suicide prevention
Action Item 5.1
Facilitate an Asset Mapping among healthcare or health related organizations to better understand the challenges and gaps.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee, VNL
Resources Needed: Funding
Action steps/processes:
• Asset Mapping: Holy Cross Hospital, VA, Taos Whole Health, DOH, Questa – PMS, Women’s Health Institute, Mountain Home Health Care, VA – Albuquerque, Urgent Care, IHS, TCCY, Schreiber’s, El Centro Penasco, Family Practice, Acupuncturists, Alternative Medicine, Wellness.
• Do care providers screen for veterans?
Note: We are limiting ourselves to our meetings
Strategic action 5:
Enhance primary care suicide prevention
Action Item 5.2
Increase awareness and relationship building with clinics and share about TWV; Distribute Suicide Prevention ToolKit–download from website, print.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee
Resources Needed: Funding, marketing materials, training materials and promotional one-pagers to share
Action steps/processes:
Strategic action 5:
Enhance primary care suicide prevention
Action Item 5.3
Participate in existing community meetings to share about TWV.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee
Resources Needed: Funding, marketing materials, training materials and promotional one-pagers to share
Action steps/processes:
• Research what meetings we need to attend and participate in
Strategic action 6:
Enhance behavioral care suicide prevention
Action Item 6.1
Facilitate an Asset Mapping among behavioral health and health related organizations to better understand the challenges and gaps.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee, VNL
Resources Needed: Funding, marketing materials, training materials and promotional one-pagers to share
Action steps/processes:
- Asset Mapping: TBH, Team Builders, Rio Grande ATP, Recovery Friendly Taos, VOG Case Manager has list of therapists in county who treat veterans; VA – Espanola clinicians works with VOG veterans; Angel Fire Retreat Center: director@veteranswellnessandhealing.org
Approach: What have you seen? What do you think is needed?
Strategic action 6:
Enhance behavioral care suicide prevention
Action Item 6.2
Host a Behavioral Health Providers Breakfast to increase awareness and relationship building.
Responsible Partners/Persons: Together with Veterans Steering Committee, Jennifer Ammann
Resources Needed: Funding, venue
Action steps/processes:
- Schedule breakfast