VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network

Suicide Prevention

Suicide Prevention: Help for Veterans in Crisis

Suicide is a national public health issue that impacts people from all walks of life, whether or not they served in the military. It is a complex problem, and it requires coordinated, evidence-based solutions that reach beyond the traditional medical model of prevention. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed a National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide, providing a road map to address the tragedy of suicide among Veterans. VA has embraced a comprehensive public health approach to reduce Veteran suicide rates, incorporating several approaches that look beyond the individual in crisis, to involve peers, family members, and the community.

According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

suicide was the 10th leading cause of death across all ages in 2016, claiming the lives of nearly 45,000 people. Veteran suicides represent approximately 22 percent of all suicide deaths in the U.S.

Here we present you with a composite of the array of programs, VA continues to offer in its continuing fight to overcome suicide among our Veterans and in our community.  At the top of the list are the Compact Act of 2020 and the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program.

VA’s  National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide (2018)

VA Tools and Resources for Veterans and Supporters

•  Make the Connection:VA’s mental health literacy and anti-stigma website highlights Veterans’ real, inspiring stories of recovery and connects Veterans and their family members and friends with local resources.
• Reach Out: Get support designed specifically for you. Family members or friends can find resources that are designed for the Veterans in your life. 
• Safety Planning: Information on safety planning and a template for developing a safety plan. A safety plan is a written list of coping strategies and sources of support that at-risk Veterans can use before or during a suicidal crisis. 
• VA Mental Health: VA’s repository of mental health resources, information, and data materials. 
• VA S.A.V.E. Training: Training designed to teach anyone who interacts with Veterans how to recognize warning signs of crisis and what to do to help a Veteran who may be at risk. 
• VA Suicide Prevention:Explore suicide prevention resources to build networks of support among community-based organizations, Veterans Service Organizations, health care providers, and other members of your community that strengthen protective factors for Veterans.
• VA Resource Locator: This tool can help Veterans find local mental health and
  suicide prevention resources, including their local suicide prevention coordinator. 
• Veterans Crisis Line: A free, anonymous, confidential resource available to Veterans in crisis, as well as concerned family members and friends. Dial 988 then Press 1,

chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.

 Resources for Veteran Families

 #BeThere https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/support/be-there

• Make the Connection https://maketheconnection.net/conditions/suicide
• Coaching into Care https://www.mirecc.va.gov/coaching/

Resources for Health Care Providers

• Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program VA providers and community providers who work with Veterans can receive free, one-on-one consultations to enhance their therapeutic practice. https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn19/consult/index.asp
• Uniting for Suicide Postvention Postvention is critical for healing after suicide. Uniting for Suicide Postvention (USPV) provides resources and support for everyone touched by suicide loss. Check out our USPV sections to learn more.

https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn19/postvention/

Coping and Symptom Management Apps for Veterans and Providers Mobile Apps for Veterans and Providers

Click here for a comprehensive briefing package on the Compact Act