Why Veteran Suicide Prevention Must Start Before Crisis — Dr. Keita Franklin

<p>Most veterans who die by suicide never ask for help. This episode explains how to reach them before it&#39;s too late.</p><p><br></p><p>Most suicide prevention efforts begin inside hospitals—but Dr. Keita Franklin explains why that&#39;s already too late for many veterans. Drawing on decades of leadership at the VA, Marine Corps, and Columbia Lighthouse Project, she shares how a simple six-question screening tool is helping communities identify veterans at risk before a crisis becomes a tragedy.</p><p>This conversation moves beyond awareness and into practical action every veteran, family member, employer, and community leader can take.</p><p><strong>In this episode, you&#39;ll discover:</strong></p><p>• Learn the six-question Columbia Protocol and understand why anyone—not just clinicians—can use it.</p><p>• Recognize why the first five years after military transition carry significantly higher suicide risk.</p><p>• Understand how the Marine Corps reduced suicide rates by changing where they looked for veterans in crisis.</p><p>• Discover why directly asking someone about suicide is one of the safest and most effective ways to help.</p><p><strong>About Dr. Keita Franklin</strong></p><p>Dr. Keita Franklin is a nationally recognized leader in suicide prevention with more than 25 years of experience serving military and veteran communities. She helped redesign the Department of Veterans Affairs&#39; suicide prevention strategy into a public health model and now serves as Vice President of Healthcare Strategy at TriWest Healthcare Alliance while co-leading the Columbia Lighthouse Project, expanding evidence-based suicide prevention worldwide.</p><p>If this episode helped you, please follow the show and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. Search <strong>VET S.O.S.</strong>, scroll down, and tap <strong>Write a Review.</strong> It takes less than 30 seconds and helps another veteran find the lifeline they may need.</p><p><strong>EPISODE CHAPTERS</strong></p><p>00:00 — Introduction</p><p>03:09 — Military Family Transition</p><p>05:22 — How the Columbia Protocol Was Created</p><p>12:13 — The Six Questions That Save Lives</p><p>18:05 — Rethinking Suicide Prevention</p><p>23:27 — Bringing Prevention Into the Community</p><p>31:46 — Closing &amp; Resources</p><p><strong>Explore the Full VET S.O.S. Network</strong></p><p>▶ VET S.O.S.</p><p>▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Operation Startup</p><p>▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Learning Lifeline</p><p>▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: The Scoop</p><p>▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Testimony Strong</p><p><strong>Connect with VET S.O.S.</strong></p><p>Website: vetsospodcast.com</p><p>Twitter/X: @vetsospodcast</p><p>LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vetsospodcast</p><p>YouTube: youtube.com/@vetsospodcast</p><p>Facebook: facebook.com/vetsospodcast</p><p>Instagram: instagram.com/vetsospodcast</p><p>TikTok: tiktok.com/@vetsospodcast</p><p>#VETSOS #VeteranPodcast #GrabTheLifeline #HeroesMediaGRP #MilitaryMentalHealth #VeteranTransition #SuicidePrevention #Veterans #MilitaryLife #MentalHealth</p><p><br></p>