Episode 80: Exploring Veteran Suicide and VA Care

Mike and Jake have a frank discussion with Russell Lemle and Aimee Johnson about their multiple decades of experience working with the veteran community and dispelling myths about veteran care within the VA system and how best to help someone who is in need.

Russell B. Lemle, PhD is a Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute Policy Director. He’s authored numerous scientific publications and media commentaries, and testified to Congress, on veterans’ health care and the prevention of firearm suicide, including in Guns & Ammo, The Hill, The American Prospect, Washington Monthly, Task & Purpose, and Federal Practitioner. From 1993 to 2019, he served as Chief Psychologist for the San Francisco VA Healthcare System.

Aimee Johnson, LCSW has over 20 years of experience as a clinical social worker. From direct clinical practice with youth, families, and adults in crisis working with military service members, Veterans, and their families, she has worked in the private sector and for the federal government, most recently at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She is considered a national subject matter expert on firearm suicide prevention and lethal means safety strategies, creating and launching media campaigns, building, leading, and implementing public-private partnerships, and leveraging innovation to bring new strategies to the field of suicide prevention. She owns and operates Aimee J Consulting.

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