On today’s episode, we conclude our mini-series of four episodes on LGBTQIA+ Veterans with  returning guests, veterans Erika Hoover and Andrea Norton, as part of  public awareness campaign developed in partnership with the Michigan Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans and their Families 

Erika Hoover has been working at the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency and serving veterans since October 2017. In her role, Erika oversees a team that includes our Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Analyst, Community Health Technicians, Homeless Veteran Coordinator, Women Veterans & Special Populations Coordinator and General Office Assistant-Veteran Connector. She is also the Chair of the Michigan Women Veterans Coalition, a statewide coalition created by MVAA to engage with federal, state and local organizations to solve statewide female veterans' issues.  

Erika served in the Navy from 2009-2013 as an Aviation Machinists Mate, Petty Officer Third Class. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Portland State University and a culinary arts degree from Oregon Culinary Institute.

Andrea Norton is an USAF Veteran and Licensed Master Social Worker at the Aleda E. Lutz VAMC in Saginaw MI.  Prior to working at the VA, Andrea served in the USAF for 8 ½ years as an intelligence analyst and mobile instructor. Ms Norton left the Air Force in 2007 to pursue her education earning both her BSW and MSW at Michigan State University.

 She has worked with and advocated for underserved Veterans her entire career as a Housing Specialist, Intensive Case Manager, LGBTQ Veteran Care Coordinator, Women Veteran Program Manager, and most recently as a Community Engagement & Partnership Coordinator on the Suicide Prevention Team. 

She is passionate about working with communities to help promote a public health approach to suicide prevention and increase the awareness of the rich diversity that exists in the Veteran community.

This week’s PsychArmor resource of the week is the previous three episodes in this series, episode 166 with Erika Hoover and Andrea Norton on the goals of this public health awareness campaign, episode 169 with MaCherie Dunbar and Ashley Carothers on LGBTQIA+ Veteran Healthcare, and episode 171 with Ale Hernandez on Myths and Misconceptions about LGBTQIA+ veterans. 

 

You can see find the episodes here:  

 

This episode is brought to you by partners that believe that education changes lives. The partner this week is the Michigan Governor’s Challenge, working to prevent suicide among Service Members, Veterans and their Families. 

 

Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.