Together With Veterans-Minot Chapter will host its second Rural Veterans Suicide Prevention Symposium Monday, Sept. 29, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at Hartnett Hall at Minot State University.

Topics covered this year will include military culture, survivor assistance programs, VA (Veterans Administration) S.A.V.E. and Lethal Means safety training and the 988 crisis line.

The primary goal of the free symposium is to help educate mental health providers, first responders, health care workers, social service providers and other community members who help veterans and their families, according to Together with Veterans information.

The information also states from 2020-2024, Ward County lost 72 people due to suicide. The number does not distinguish between veteran and civilian deaths. In North Dakota, for calendar year 2022, there were 20 veteran suicides and 165 total suicides (veteran and civilian). The data for veteran suicides runs about two years behind due to analyzing all of the deaths and contributing factors.

Registration for the symposium is available on the Together With Veterans-Minot Facebook page. In-person and virtual options are available.

Together With Veterans is a nonprofit organization that focuses on rural veteran suicide prevention. The Minot Chapter is part of a national organization of 38 chapters; however, the Minot Chapter, started in fall 2021, is the only chapter in North Dakota. Its goal is to provide a place for veterans to connect with other veterans/service members, normalize talking about mental health and accessing care when needed, as well as to provide training to community members. The organization aims to provide monthly events free of charge for all veterans, servicemembers (active, Guard and Reserve) and their families.

Past events have included horse riding, cooking and art classes, kayaking, Minotauros hockey games and an afternoon at the Magic City Discovery Center in Minot.