News

back arrow iconBack to News

May 15, 2020

NSSF-AFSP-VA Webcast on ‘Protecting Mental Health and Preventing Suicide During COVID-19’ Continues Streaming on USCCA YouTube Channel


NEWTOWN, Conn. — If you missed the premiere of the webcast “Protecting Mental Health and Preventing Suicide During COVID-19,” the National Shooting Sports Foundation® reminds everyone that the webcast is available for viewing at your convenience on the U.S. Concealed Carry Association’s YouTube channel.

NSSF® joined with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to develop the program, which premiered the evening of May 14. The webcast was produced by USCCA, one of the largest firearm-owner groups in the country. NSSF greatly appreciates USCCA’s support for the project and for helping to deliver the webcast’s important messages about mental health and suicide prevention to the firearm-owning community.

“We were very pleased with the webcast’s premiere showing,” said NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi, who served as host of the program. “The information provided empowers people to protect their mental health and to better understand suicide, prevention and how lives can be saved. It’s such an important topic that we remind everyone the webcast can be viewed anytime on the USCCA YouTube channel.”

The webcast can be viewed here. For smart TV users, within the YouTube app search for “USCCA” to locate the webcast premiere.

Bartozzi was joined on the 44-minute webcast by Dr. Christine Moutier, Chief Medical Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the nation’s largest suicide prevention organization, and Dr. Matthew Miller, Director of Suicide Prevention for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

A core message of the webcast is that securely storing firearms and other methods of harming oneself can play a huge role in deterring suicide. Creating time and space between a person with suicidal thoughts and access to a means of self-harm, such as a firearm, can create a moment of pause, allowing the period of heightened risk to pass. Suicide is not inevitable, said the experts, and reaching out to someone to have a “brave conversation” can be lifesaving.

Recognizing that 50 percent of all suicides are by firearm and that among veterans the figure is  70 percent, NSSF has in recent years helped develop a program with AFSP and a program with VA to educate industry, gun owners including veterans, and their families about caring for their mental health and preventing suicide.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK, or text TALK to 741741.

-30-

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

________________________

Media contact:
Bill Brassard
203-426-1320 ext. 212

Share This Article

Tags: AFSP American Foundation for Suicide Prevention GEARFIRE mental health Suicide Prevention U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs VA

Categories: BP Item, COVID, Featured, Press Releases, Safety, Top Stories