DRCVI MAKES HISTORY WITH FIRST STAFF SERGEANT PARKER GORDON FOX GRANT AWARDED IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

DRCVI MAKES HISTORY WITH FIRST STAFF SERGEANT PARKER GORDON FOX GRANT AWARDED IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 

$750,000 federal award will support the Legacy Initiative for Veterans' Empowerment (LIVE) project

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — The Virgin Islands Advocacy Inc., known as the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands (DRCVI), has been awarded a $750,000 Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Based on publicly available VA award records, DRCVI is the first organization in the U.S. Virgin Islands to receive funding through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program.

The historic award will support LIVE, a locally designed Veteran suicide prevention initiative created to reach Veterans and their families throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands. Services are scheduled to begin starting in October through September 2027. The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program funds community-based organizations that provide outreach, peer support, case management, suicide prevention education, benefits assistance, and connections to clinical and community resources. The program prioritizes underserved communities, including U.S. territories, rural areas, minority Veterans, women Veterans, and Veterans who may not be connected to traditional VA services.

"This award is a major step forward for veterans and their families throughout the Virgin Islands. Through this partnership, we will bring services closer to home as our veterans deserve access to responsive, community-based support that is also knowledgeable about the realities of living and seeking care in the territory," said DRCVI Executive Director Angus Drigo. 

LIVE was developed using the framework of HeirMark, a legacy-centered healing framework that provides a culturally responsive approach, community engagement, curriculum development, group programming, and Veteran and family support services. Dr. Muria I. Nisbett, the creator of HeirMark, a Virgin Islands Veteran, therapist, and social impact leader, has been named the Project Director for the LIVE project.

“This moment belongs to every Virgin Islands Veteran who has ever felt overlooked by systems designed far away from our shores,” Dr. Nisbett added. “This is more than a grant. It is a commitment to ensuring that no Virgin Islands Veteran feels invisible, isolated, or forced to navigate a crisis alone. Our Veterans served this country. They deserve support that is accessible, culturally grounded, and built with their lives in mind.”

The LIVE initiative will use a comprehensive, community-based approach to address both suicide risk and the conditions that can increase vulnerability. Planned services include:

• Community outreach and suicide prevention education
• Mental health and suicide-risk screenings
• Case management and coordinated referrals
• Peer and family support
• Assistance accessing VA and community benefits
• Support groups for Vietnam Veterans, women Veterans, men, spouses, and caregivers
• Transportation and other assistance designed to reduce barriers to care
• Culturally responsive programming developed for the Virgin Islands community

The partnership brings together DRCVI’s longstanding disability-rights and advocacy work with HeirMark’s focus on healing; family systems, cultural identity, and the legacies individuals and communities inherit, carry, and leave behind.

The program will also collaborate with local Veterans, families, service providers, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community partners to strengthen the territory’s suicide prevention network and reach individuals who may not seek assistance through conventional systems.

The LIVE team — including a project director, peer support, case managers, and facilitators — will be housed in DRCVI’s offices to provide individualized assistance to eligible veterans and their families. 

Stay tuned for updates as LIVE expands services and outreach in the months ahead. Additional information regarding enrollment, services, staffing, partnerships, and upcoming community events will be released before the program’s official launch. For more information about LIVE or to access services, contact the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands at (340) 772-1200 or (340) 776-4303, or visit www.drcvi.org.

ABOUT THE DISABILITY RIGHTS CENTER OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

The Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands is the territory’s designated protection and advocacy organization. The mission of the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands is to advance the rights of people with disabilities, support and empower families, and inform and involve professionals and others interested in the healthy development and education of children and youth.