Program Adds Chat Service

Week of September 07, 2009

The Suicide Prevention campaign of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is expanding its outreach to all veterans by piloting an online, one-to-one "chat service" for veterans who prefer reaching out for assistance using the Internet. Called "Veterans Chat," the new service enables former servicemembers, their families and friends to go online where they can anonymously chat with a trained VA counselor. Veterans, family members or friends can access Veterans Chat through the suicide prevention website. There is a "Veterans" tab on the left-hand side of the website that will take them directly to veteran resource information. On this page, they can see the Hotline number (1-800-273-TALK), and click on the "Veterans Chat" tab on the right side of the webpage to enter.