VA Crisis Line founder gained Legion support in 2009, which evolved into Be the One.
Dr. Janet Kemp was a pioneer in the field of suicide prevention, a legacy that can be seen in the current battle to save the lives of veterans.
The American Legion’s partnership with Kemp set the stage for the current Be the One mission aimed at reducing veteran suicide. In fact, The American Legion invited Kemp, founder of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) and the first national director of suicide prevention for the Department of Veterans Affairs, to present at its 91st National Convention in Louisville, Ky.
There, she shared the newly developed Suicide Prevention SAVE training and encouraged American Legion departments, districts and posts to promote the program and expand outreach efforts. SAVE, she explained, stands for:
- Know the possible Signs of suicide.
- Ask the most important question – are you thinking of killing yourself?
- Validate the veteran’s experience.
- Encourage treatment and Expedite the process of getting help.
“We’re failing them (veterans),” Kemp told The American Legion’s Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission. “It’s all of our responsibility to own up to that. There’s no reason a veteran in the United States of America should die by his own hand because they think people don’t care and that there’s no way for them to make that situation better.”
Following the convention, Kemp expressed her gratitude that The American Legion invited her to share information about the SAVE program and that she was hopeful that the organization could help VA in the fight to save veteran lives.
The American Legion immediately answered the call, by passing Resolution No. 51 at that convention: “Develop a Suicide Prevention and Outreach Referral Program.” The resolution called for expansion of suicide prevention programs and for The American Legion’s professionally trained service officers and members nationwide to conduct outreach and refer veterans in crisis to the newly established crisis line.
The resolution initially faced resistance due to concerns with liability if members were trained and a veteran potentially lost his or her life. It may seem hard to understand 15 years later that there was resistance to collaboration with national suicide prevention efforts. But in these early days, people, veterans especially, were loath to talk about suicide publicly for fear that it would somehow put organizations at risk. But with Kemp’s enthusiasm and encouragement, The American Legion joined VA in this fight.
She later recalled one memorable day when her parents excitedly contacted her. Her parents said, “Jan, we can’t believe it – your father received The American Legion Magazine, and they had a great feature article about the work you do. We’re so proud of you!”
Kemp lightheartedly shared that she had already been in Time magazine and featured in interviews on major public news affiliates, but that for the first time in her parents’ mind, The American Legion Magazine article was where she truly made it.
Sadly, Kemp passed away in 2017, but her legacy and work to prevent veteran suicide lives on. The VCL has grown from 14 to 1,100 employees today, and there have been more than 8.2 million calls to save veterans lives since its debut.
The American Legion amplified the message of veteran suicide prevention in 2021 when the Be the One mission began. American Legion National Commander Daniel Seehafer took on the mission as his top priority in 2023-24, and National Commander James LaCoursiere Jr., has continued the momentum.
Now, more than 4,000 American Legion posts nationwide conduct Be the One activities, from awareness rucks to symposiums to confront the issue. Most importantly, the mission has worked to destigmatize the pursuit of mental health care among veterans, to remove the fear of public discussion of the topic.
The work of Kemp, VA’s current and past national mental health and suicide prevention teams, crisis line responders, along with American Legion national leaders, service officers, posts and individual members have saved veterans’ lives since the issue was taken up as a top priority in 2009 and advanced through the Be the One mission.
Jacob Gadd is the founder and CEO of Apex Consulting Enterprises, a U.S. Small Business Administration-certified Veteran-Owned Small Business. He previously worked for The American Legion’s National Headquarters and is an active American Legion member in Virginia. Dr. Sonja Batten is a clinical psychologist who has worked in veteran mental health for almost 30 years and currently serves as the chief clinical officer for the national nonprofit Stop Soldier Suicide.
- Be the One