Facebook Aims to Reduce Veteran Suicides

In a few weeks Facebook's Menlo Park campus is going to be crawling with millionaires looking for
something to make them feel good about their new found fortune.

The social-networking company is apparently getting a jump start on its philanthropic wing. A little over a week after announcing a new feature to encourage organ donations amongst its 900 million users, Facebook is now looking to help prevent suicide prevention amongst veterans.

Facebook is friending military support organizations that work to prevent suicides amongst active and retired service members and their families.

The social network noticed that its site was already being used as a vital lifeline to connect with at risk veterans and it decided to take the next step towards formalizing a relationship.

Under the plan Facebook will offer a customized option for users who have veteran friends to receive information about crisis services tailored to the military.

Professionals can then connect with users via a phone, an online chat or in a text message.

Facebook already has suicide-prevention services for all its users but this information is tailored specifically for service members and their friends and families.

The Los Angeles Times reported that a recent survey of 4,000 military families, Blue Star Families revealed that more than 90 percent respondents reported using Facebook and another 86 percent said they were on the site daily.
 

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