A pair of teams from the Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention was on island recently to conduct interviews as part of a study. Lindsey Montieth is a psychologist with the team and is leading the research study that is focused on preventing suicide among Pacific islanders and Asian American veterans on Guam.

"There was a recent finding that the suicide rate among Asian American/Pacific Islanders veterans had increased pretty drastically and because of that there have been a lot of efforts recently that we're undertaking here at the Rocky Mountain MIRECC to try and better understand reasons for that and to address it," she said. 

The visit consisted of interviews and meetings with island veterans and key stakeholders

"At the vet center there, at the VA community-based outpatient clinic there, the mental health center, and also the University of Guam," Montieth said. 

Lisa Brenner the director of the center said Guam is a really unique and special community and admits after meeting and talking with the people it would be impossible to really know.

"A. The amazing humans and B. Some of the amazing challenges that is created by distance that people have to contend with," she said. 

Brenner said although the trip to Guam was brief, the teams were able to get a snapshot of some of the benefits of being within a tight community, the focus on families, and all the things that are really strengths and the challenges that were mostly related to distance.

"The veterans that live on Guam are really the experts on suicide prevention for their peers....and really helping and learning from them on how do we take what they know and help them apply it to their own community and some of the really wonderful things about this is some individuals recovery process for themselves has to be engaged with other members of the community," she said. "You see this beautiful healing that's happening by the people who are reaching out to other members of the community."

The research study is looking to conduct more interviews via phone on Zoom with people who have experience working with veterans on Guam and veterans who identify as Asian American/Pacific Islanders who are currently living on the island. Participants will be compensated. If you are interested, please contact Project Coordinator Christe'an Iglesias at: 720-723-6556. We should note Iglesias is from Guam, a 2014 graduate from St. John's School who is currently in Denver working with the team. You can also email the study at: [email protected].

"If people email we could set up a Zoom link or another link that would kind of bypass some of the costs associated with making phone calls. We'll do everything we can to work across time zones and to make this work for folks," Brenner said. 

She also really wanted to reiterate that they are committed to making sure that Guam's veteran's voices are heard.

"So many folks had served in the military," she said. "How central it was to so many people's lives and how important it is to make sure that individuals who did serve that are from Guam have their voices heard. We want to be able to carry messages forward and we just want people on Guam to know."

She even made a special promise to herself.

"Every day that I work, I'm going to do something specific around suicide prevention for Guam," Brennan said. "We're with you and we're remembering everything we learned and we need to  learn more."