Wisconsin Veteran Suicide Prevention
Reaching Out Saves Lives
A coordinated, in-person Veteran Peer Outreach campaign bringing suicide prevention directly into Wisconsin communities — at sporting events, gun shows, county fairs, and wherever Veterans gather. Proposed for launch July 2026 in partnership with the War Memorial Center.
Mass media alone is not enough. While our statewide public education air campaign — broadcast through the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Public Education Program (WBA-PEP) — has shown meaningful impact on attitudes and behaviors, many Veterans at greatest risk are not being reached through traditional media channels alone.
The Ground Outreach Campaign (GOC) deploys trained Veteran Peer Specialists (VPS) directly into Wisconsin communities to create personal, trusted connections — providing information, reducing stigma, and linking Veterans to care one conversation at a time.
Research shows that personal peer contact amplifies the effect of mass media campaigns. When a Veteran hears a PSA on the radio, then meets a peer outreach specialist at a gun show the following weekend, the message is reinforced in a personally meaningful way. The combined air-and-ground approach is central to our 2026–2028 strategy.
The ground campaign deploys into southeastern Wisconsin first — the region with the highest concentration of Veterans and the most established community infrastructure — while the air campaign continues statewide. This allows a rigorous evaluation using a difference-in-differences design comparing SE Wisconsin outcomes to the rest of the state.
Veteran Peer Specialists fan out across southeastern Wisconsin to reach Veterans where they live, work, and gather. The GOC is not a passive information table — it is active, mobile, peer-to-peer outreach led by Veterans for Veterans.
Milwaukee Brewers games, Milwaukee Bucks events, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, and other professional and minor league sporting events — where Veterans and families gather in large numbers.
Firearm shows, shooting ranges, and hunting expos — critical venues where responsible firearm storage messaging can reach Veterans who own firearms and may be at elevated risk.
County and state fairs, community festivals, Veterans Day events, Memorial Day events, and Fourth of July celebrations across SE Wisconsin's 12 counties.
American Legion posts, VFW halls, DAV chapters, and other Veterans service organization meetings — trusted settings where peer connection is natural and accepted.
Delivering and supporting QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), safeTALK, ASIST, and other evidence-based suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings for Veterans and community members.
Active follow-up with Veterans who express interest or need — connecting them to care, checking in, and ensuring no one falls through the cracks after initial contact.
The ground campaign is designed to work in tandem with the statewide WBA-PEP air campaign. Coordinated messaging ensures Veterans hear the same themes, see the same faces, and encounter the same calls to action across both channels.
The combined campaign is evaluated using a difference-in-differences (DID) design — comparing outcomes in southeastern Wisconsin (air + ground) to the rest of the state (air only). This allows us to isolate the specific impact of the ground campaign.
Veterans trust other Veterans. The Ground Outreach Campaign is led by trained Veteran Peer Specialists (VPS) — Veterans with lived experience of mental health challenges who are trained to engage peers, reduce stigma, provide information, and connect fellow Veterans to care. This is peer-to-peer outreach at its most authentic.
Mark Flower is a U.S. Army Veteran and certified peer support specialist who brings firsthand experience of the challenges facing Wisconsin Veterans. He serves as the primary VPS and outreach coordinator for the Ground Campaign, leading event-level outreach across southeastern Wisconsin.
As a Veteran himself, Mark builds trust quickly with fellow Veterans who may be skeptical of traditional mental health outreach. His approach is direct, non-clinical, and grounded in shared military experience — the kind of peer connection that research shows is most effective in reducing stigma and encouraging help-seeking.
Mark is part of the core project team alongside PI Dr. Bertrand Berger (MCW) and the War Memorial Center leadership.
The research literature on peer-delivered services is clear: Veterans are more likely to accept help, disclose struggles, and follow through on referrals when the messenger is a fellow Veteran with lived experience. This is especially true for mental health and suicide prevention, where stigma remains a significant barrier.
Veteran Peer Specialists are not clinical counselors. They are connectors, guides, and advocates — trained to listen, reduce shame, provide accurate information about available resources, and help Veterans take the first step toward care. They know from personal experience how hard that first step can be.
All Veteran Peer Specialists in the Ground Campaign complete formal training in suicide prevention gatekeeper methods (QPR, safeTALK, or equivalent), motivational interviewing techniques, trauma-informed communication, responsible firearm storage messaging, and local resource navigation for all 72 Wisconsin counties.
VPS activities are supervised and supported by the project management team at the War Memorial Center, with clinical oversight from MCW's Department of Psychiatry.
VPS outreach workers hear directly from Veterans what messages resonate, what barriers they face, and what questions they're really asking. This field intelligence feeds back into the air campaign's messaging strategy — making PSAs more relevant and more effective.
A 30-second PSA can change attitudes. A 10-minute conversation with a fellow Veteran can change behavior. When Veterans have heard the ReachOutWis.org message on TV, then meet a peer outreach specialist at a Brewers game, the campaign becomes real. The air campaign plants the seed; the ground campaign grows it.
61% of Veterans who die by suicide are not receiving VHA care at the time of death. The Ground Campaign specifically targets these "hard to reach" Veterans — those who have disconnected from VA services, who distrust the healthcare system, or who have never sought help. Community events are where they are.
Every VPS interaction drives traffic to ReachOutWis.org, increases crisis line calls, and builds the email list and community of supporters that sustains the campaign long-term. Ground outreach is also the engine of the Wisconsin Veteran Broadcasting Coalition — recruiting local media partners who amplify our message statewide.
Subject to funding approval. AHW grant application pending review.
Leads the research and evaluation components. Clinical psychologist at the Milwaukee VA with expertise in Veteran mental health, suicide prevention, and public health communication. Project PI since the original 2021 AHW pilot.
bberger@mcw.eduRetired U.S. Army General and CEO of the War Memorial Center, Milwaukee. Provides executive leadership, community credibility, and organizational infrastructure for the Ground Campaign operations.
warmemorialcenter.orgArmy Veteran and certified peer support specialist leading day-to-day ground outreach operations. First point of contact for Veterans encountered at community events.
Directs program development, survey research, and KPI tracking. Expert in community-based participatory research and public health evaluation methods.
skohlbeck@mcw.eduManages event scheduling, community partnerships, and day-to-day operational coordination of the Ground Outreach Campaign at the War Memorial Center.
Provides clinical guidance on suicide risk, firearm storage messaging, and safe communication practices. Serves as a campaign spokesperson and medical authority.
Contributes psychological expertise and a Veteran's perspective on mental health barriers and evidence-based outreach strategies for at-risk Veteran populations.
Community leaders providing grassroots partnership, spiritual care perspectives, and connections to diverse Veteran communities throughout southeastern Wisconsin.
Veteran community connector and liaison, helping to build relationships with Veterans service organizations, informal Veteran networks, and hard-to-reach Veteran communities across the region.
The primary statewide public education campaign hub — home to the resource directory, PSA library, and educational materials for Veterans, families, and providers. This site.
Dedicated platform for the Ground Outreach Campaign — event calendar, VPS contact information, and direct outreach resources. Launching with the ground campaign in 2026.
veteranpeeroutreach.org →Responsible firearm storage campaign site — focused on means safety messaging for Veteran households. Provides practical information on secure storage options and firearm loan programs.
LivetodayPutitAway.org →The Ground Campaign is proposed for launch July 2026, pending AHW funding approval. You can support this work by donating through the War Memorial Center, spreading the word, or contacting us to learn about partnership opportunities.