The Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center proudly recognized one of its own, Mrs. LaWanda VanHorn-Rossell, for her outstanding leadership in the award-winning Lean Excellence Award Black Belt Project: “Decreasing Suicide By Stepping Up.” This prestigious honor was awarded by VA Southeast Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 7 in recognition of her efforts in Systems Redesign & Improvement (SRI) across eight VA medical centers spanning Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Mrs. VanHorn-Rossell played a pivotal role in leading this impactful project at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center. The initiative aimed to ensure that all areas of the medical center were not only educated on the importance of annual suicide screenings but also actively conducting them. As a result, the facility achieved a sustainability rate of over 85% in completed screenings. Her leadership and dedication to veteran care were instrumental in streamlining the suicide screening process by implementing proactive intervention strategies and enhancing care coordination within the VA system.
Mrs. VanHorn-Rossell is honored to have received this recognition and remains committed to advancing mental health resources and suicide prevention efforts for veterans.
