Investing in Time and Space

By Jodi Stemler

Putting time and space between a suicidal impulse and having access to lethal means can save a life. This was the reminder shared by National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) President and CEO Joe Bartozzi and Dr. Matthew Miller, Executive Director for VA Suicide Prevention and acting Executive Director of PREVENTS, as they welcomed a group of about 40 to the first ever Firearm Industry – Veterans Health Administration Suicide Prevention Roundtable. The event, a partnership between NSSF and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), was hosted at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus in July and consisted of representatives from firearms manufacturers, suicide prevention organizations, health professionals, and regional and national VA staff.

Bartozzi noted that participants were investing their personal and professional time while also working together to give all Americans who may consider taking their own life a little more time. He reminded the audience, “The messenger matters; our industry can help bridge the gap between the suicide prevention community and gun owners to support secure storage while protecting the right to bear arms.”

About half of Americans who died by suicide in 2019 used a firearm, and suicide makes up nearly two-thirds of firearms-related deaths. Dr. Emmy Betz, professor of emergency medicine at CU Anschutz and the director of the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative, noted that only 10 percent of individuals who survive a suicide attempt go on to die by suicide later in their life; however, almost 90 percent of people who use a firearm to attempt suicide die. This high lethality increases the need to increase the time and space to keep people safe during this high-risk period. She recommended a community health approach and noted that, “Cultural change will take repeated messages from trusted messengers over time.”

In 2016, the NSSF launched a partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and subsequently released a toolkit for ranges and retailers. In 2018, NSSF and the VA developed a formal partnership, and the meeting in Denver was designed to broaden industry’s participation to deliver suicide prevention education messaging to gun owners. One motivation for this increased education about warning signs and reaching out to persons who are struggling is that 69 percent of veteran suicides in 2019 involved a firearm.

“Suicide is preventable and not inevitable,” said Dr. Miller. “Veterans believe that firearms are important to them for readiness and safety. We need to respect readiness and personal rights, while at the same time increasing time and space in a suicidal crisis.”

A primary focus of the meeting was identifying ways to make it easy for people to secure their firearms, whether through lockboxes or safes or even out-of-home storage in times of immediate crisis. Hold My Guns is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect responsible firearms owners with voluntary firearms storage through a national network of partnering FFLs. Founder and executive director Sarah Joy Albrecht encouraged the VA to better understand the firearms community. “It’s important to come at this from a place of recognizing that firearm ownership is normal,” Albrecht said during a panel discussion. Participants also discussed viewing the firearm community as a protective factor, not a risk factor and recognize the fact that no one in the industry wants something that they produced to be used in a way that it was not intended to be used.

Bill Brassard, senior director of communications for NSSF, has helped facilitate the relationship with the AFSP and VA and notes that the industry and partners are working collaboratively to develop many educational assets. NSSF recently launched a secure-storage video featuring professional shooter, veteran, and mother Julie Golob. Walk the Talk America is partnering with companies to distribute informational brochures with gun sales offering free, anonymous mental-health screening tools. These tools and others—when carried by the right messenger who respects firearms ownership—can help make a difference for someone in crisis.

Representatives from Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Glock, and Magpul participated in the roundtable and noted that manufacturers and retailers would be able to help share messaging that was developed between NSSF and the VA and other suicide prevention organizations.

“NSSF has done a lot of good, but the companies have name recognition,” said Deana McPherson, executive vice president and chief financial officer for Smith & Wesson. “If we can find a way to assist with getting the message out, we can reach more audiences and maybe help convince others in the industry to help.”

All participants recognized the importance of the initial meeting and discussions are underway to host a briefing during SHOT Show and to host a second roundtable next year. In addition, shared tools and resources are expected to be developed and there was mutual support to amplify the messaging.

“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something,” Bartozzi concluded. “I don’t know a more connected or committed group than this industry, and together we are going to make a difference.”