ADVA Announces New Leader for Well-Being Projects
The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) is welcoming aboard a new leader that will help the needs of veterans well-being.
Sissy Louise Moore will serve as the new Veterans well-being coordinator. Moore will serve as the primary ADVA coordinator for Alabama’s Challenge for Preventing Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) and will coordinate and manage other programs that support Veterans well-being. These programs include substance use and homeless Veterans issues, AlaVetNet initiatives, and other Veteran outreach services related projects or events.
The creation of the position comes at a good time. With September serving as National Suicide Prevention Month, ADVA says it is focused on Veterans suicide prevention through the Alabama’s Challenge for Preventing Suicide among SMVF.
ADVA says approximately 17 Veterans are dying by suicide per day. In Alabama, the Veteran suicide rate is higher than the national average and significantly higher than the civilian average.
Recent data shows nearly 18% of those who died by suicide in Alabama are Veterans, though only 9.1% of Alabamians have served. Male Veterans die by suicide at a rate 1.3 times civilian counters, and for women Veterans it is 2.1 times higher.
“As a widow of a Veteran, Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they’ve suffered the scars of war,” Moore said. “Our Veterans have given their best for all of us and we must continue to do our best by them. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have done for us. That is our duty.”
Moore joins ADVA after spending the last eight years as the University of South Alabama Mitchell Cancer Institute’s Oncology Navigation Advocate, linking physicians, patients, and family members to education, support, and community resources.
“We can’t say enough about our excitement for Sissy Louise to join our team. Her background and expertise are exactly what we’ve needed for our Veterans well-being programs,” said ADVA Commissioner Kent Davis. “I cannot stress enough the importance of tackling issues like Veterans suicide, substance use and homelessness. We’re serious about addressing these issues and directing Alabama’s Veterans who might be facing these challenges to great resources statewide. Sissy Louise will be a substantial benefit with these initiatives.”
The new position was created as the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs expands its role in helping Veterans with well-being issues.
