Phoenix, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/31/2020 -- Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, executive director of the task force to create the President's Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS), will be the inaugural guest on a new VoiceAmerica national podcast, Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek.
"With Department of Veterans Affairs estimates indicating 20 veterans commit suicide each day, this is an epidemic that we cannot and must not ignore," Meek said. "Barbara Van Dahlen is a one-of-a-kind leader who has made a difference in countless live. I've had an opportunity to see her determination, extraordinary professionalism and limitless compassion for others as we've worked together on the PREVENTS task force. I can't think of a more appropriate leader for our first program."
Van Dahlen, a psychologist with nearly 30 years of clinical experience, was included in TIME's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012. She is the daughter of a Vietnam War soldier. To honor him, she founded Give an Hour, a non-profit organization devoted to helping emotionally and mentally injured war veterans through offering free counseling. Now in its 15th year, Give an Hour has grown into a network of 7,000 licensed mental health professionals who combined, have provided over 284,000 hours of free care to those in need valued at over $28 million to soldiers who have served in the Middle East and their families.
Meek, co-founder of SoldierStrong, a national nonprofit dedicated to connecting military veterans with revolutionary medical technology to help them take the next step forward in their lives, will host an informative, uplifting hour on the VoiceAmerica network every Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
With five branded channels, The VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network is the leading producer, distributor, and online broadcaster of original live and on-demand talk radio programming worldwide. Next Steps Forward with Chris Meek will air on VoiceAmerica Empowerment.
"Personal empowerment, commitment to our own well-being and the motivation to achieve more than we ever thought possible are the ingredients of a better life. They add energy, excitement, direction and purpose to everything that we do. And, they're all within our reach," Meek said. "Each week, I'll host leaders from the worlds of business, sports, entertainment, medicine, politics and public policy to engage in thought-provoking discussions to help us all take the next step forward on our own journeys to our better selves and greater service to others."
About VoiceAmerica
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