MHA Becomes First Delaware Nonprofit Awarded VA Grant to Prevent Veteran Suicide
On Sept. 30, 2026, the Mental Health Association in Delaware (MHA) received a grant award of $626,870 from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) for suicide prevention services throughout Delaware. MHA is the first Delaware nonprofit to receive this grant through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant (SSG Fox SPGP).
SSG Fox SPGP was founded by the VA to honor Veteran Parker Gordon Fox, an Army sniper instructor at the U.S Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Staff Sgt. Fox, known for a life of generosity and service to others, died by suicide in 2020 at the age of 25.
Funds from this grant are used to expand suicide prevention efforts beyond clinical settings, addressing both mental health and social determinants of health, such as economic hardship, social connectedness, and access to care. The program is part of the VA’s National Strategy for Preventing Suicide (2018–2028), which takes a public health approach to suicide prevention by combining community-based efforts with connections to evidence-based clinical services
“We are incredibly honored to be a recipient of this grant,” said MHA’s Executive Director, Jennifer Smolowitz Ianni, who announced the grant to her team on Sept. 30. “For 16 years, MHA has been committed to supporting service members, veterans, and their families through our annual Military & Veterans Mental Health Summit and throughout our broader work in the community. This grant allows us to take that commitment one step further.”
Expanding Suicide Prevention Throughout Delaware
For the past two decades, MHA has been at the forefront of suicide prevention efforts throughout Delaware. MHA’s team of mental health educators provide suicide prevention training for adults and teens, giving Delaware’s citizens the tools they need to intervene if they become aware that a loved one or friend is considering ending their life by suicide.
MHA’s suicide prevention work is conducted in partnership with multiple federal and state agencies, allowing the organization to connect suicide prevention with a broad range of public health and community services.
In Delaware, which is home to Dover Air Force Base (DAFB) and Mortuary Affairs, veteran suicide is a mounting public health issue. Key risk factors for suicidal ideation include Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which occur at higher rates among former servicemembers. Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is also linked to higher suicide risk, and statistically, veterans are more likely to own firearms. Substance use disorders, combat trauma, and related mental illness increases suicide risk, as does declining health and social isolation.
Supporting Veterans and Their Communities
The new funding will allow MHA to expand suicide prevention services for veterans as well as for the individuals and organizations that support them.
One key area of expansion will be MHA’s peer mentorship and case management support for Veterans Treatment Court. The grant will fund three additional peer support positions (one in each of Delaware’s three counties), creating greater access to connection, support, and resources for veterans.
“We are honored to be entrusted with this opportunity and deeply committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those who have served our country,” said Smolowitz Ianni. “Our veterans have given so much to all of us; this grant gives us an opportunity to give back by strengthening the safety net of support around them and their families. We are ready to do this work, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to serve our veterans in this way.”
For more information about the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant (SSG Fox SPGP), please visit https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ssgfox-grants/.