Veteran suicide prevention forum takes place in La Crosse

This is the second of six forums the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting around the state.

LA CROSSE (WKBT) — The La Crosse Center held a forum focused on preventing suicide among veterans on Wednesday.

This is the second of six forums the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting around the state.

Expert speakers spoke to health-care providers and organizations that provide resources to veterans.

They focused on harm reduction, LGBTQ+ veterans and military sexual trauma.

“What we’re really trying to do here is work with the providers and those that typically may see veterans inside of their facilities that may not have the resources or tools necessary or understand how to identify these certain risk factors amongst the veteran population, and be able to provide those educational pieces to make them more aware,” said Donald Placidi, division administrator of the Department of Veterans Affairs .

Over the next few weeks, four other forums will be staged across the state, including one on May 10 in Lac du Flambeau that focuses on the needs of tribal veterans.

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