Court approves application for $750,000 VA Sergeant Fox suicide-prevention grant

The El Paso County Commissioners Court on July 14 authorized the criminal-justice coordination department to apply for a Department of Veterans Affairs Sergeant Fox suicide-prevention grant for fiscal year 2026 in the amount of $750,000.

Isabella Hooper of Budget and Finance presented the grant request and said the one-year grant would run from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026, and requires no county match. Christopher Ray of the criminal-justice coordination department explained the grant would fund three grant positions, development of a mobile application that can connect veterans in crisis to resources and county veteran-service organizations, and training for responders. Ray described the app as a way to provide warm handoffs and reduce repeated retelling of trauma in crisis response.

Dr. Leslie Alisa Bamba, identified as program coordinator for the El Paso County opioid recovery program and a veteran, said the grant dovetails with existing opioid-recovery and peer-support work and could provide veteran-specific linkage to substance-use treatment and mental-health resources.

Commissioner Coronado moved to approve the application; Judge Samaniego seconded the motion, and the court recorded the vote in favor. The court’s motion passed without a county funding match requirement; staff will submit the federal grant application and return with any award details and implementation steps if successful.

County staff said the grant would bolster veteran suicide prevention resources by combining crisis-response personnel, peer support and a technology platform to improve referrals and continuity of care for veterans in crisis.