Challenge Coin Recognizes Excellence in Suicide Prevention among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families
Governor Mike Kehoe and team members of the Missouri Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) received the new Challenge Coin for suicide prevention excellence, at an event in the Governor’s Office on July 2, 2025. Challenge coins are a long-standing military tradition. The team created the coin to recognize achievements and support in preventing suicide among Missouri’s military-connected community. Team members and their respective agency leadership received Challenge Coins to acknowledge their commitment to suicide prevention efforts. In the future, team members will award Challenge Coins to Missourians who demonstrate excellence in suicide prevention for SMVF. The coins were purchased with private donations. There are several stories that explain the origin and tradition of the Challenge Coin, some dating as far back as World War I. It was originally used as a symbol of belonging to a military unit, however, it has grown over the years to recognize excellence. Missouri established a Governor’s Challenge team in 2021 under Governor Mike Parson’s leadership. The Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among SMVF is a nonpartisan, state interagency team, created to collaborate, plan, and implement suicide prevention best practices and policies across the state. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services-Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration originally launched the national initiative to bring together leaders of state and community governments to prevent suicide among SMVF. The Missouri Governor’s Challenge Team consists of members from the Governor’s Office, Department of Mental Health, Missouri Veterans Commission, Office of the State Courts Administrator, Missouri National Guard, Department of Corrections, Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, American Legion – Missouri, Compass Health Network, Missouri AgrAbility, Missouri Behavioral Health Council, Missouri Institute of Mental Health – Safer Homes Collaborative, Missouri Suicide Prevention Network, University of Missouri Extension – Health and Human Sciences, Higginsville Habilitation Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Stay connected on Facebook, X, and Instagram: @MOGovChallenge. To learn more about the state team’s efforts: www.mogovchallenge.com For more information contact info@mogovchallenge.com.
