LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A grant was recently awarded to the University of Kentucky's College of Education to provide veterans with free suicide prevention services.
“I think that the picture that we’re looking at has to change,” said Dr. David Pascale-Hague, Director of the Community Mental Health Clinic.
“Veterans are twice as likely to die by suicide than their civilian counterparts,” said Pascale-Hague.
He is spearheading the push to get more veterans help. His brother Daniel served in the Marines from 2003 to 2007, deploying twice to the Middle East.
“We are blessed and lucky to have him home; he’s continued to lose his fellow veterans to suicide and other mental health concerns,” said Dr. Pascale-Hague. “They do face unique needs, re-acclimating to civilian life, re-acclimating to being in a 40-hour-a-week job.”
He said he hopes that by the College of Education offering in-person and online counseling for veterans, and community workshops for free, more veterans may come through their doors.
“We can’t expect veterans to one day be like I think I’m going to call that therapist today, these are folks who have been trained in independence in the mission, and that is to serve our country, and we have to be able to reach out to them,” said Dr. Pascale-Hague.
Dr. Pascale-Hague stressed to LEX 18 the availability of the workshops for anyone in the community, not just veterans.
“Anyone in our community can be trained to save a life,” said Dr. Pasale-Hague.
To get connected to the Community Mental Health Clinic, email Dr. Pascale-Hague at david.hague@uky.edu or call 859-257-2544.
