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Suicide is a national public health issue that affects all Americans, including Veterans, their families, and their friends. Suicide has no single cause and no one approach can end it – but prevention is possible, especially when Veterans find support before a crisis happens.
Veterans can be at risk for suicide for a variety of reasons. Some are coping with the effects of aging, homelessness, or unaddressed chronic health conditions stemming from military service. Many Veterans have underlying mental health conditions or substance use disorders, in some cases aggravated by their military service, which increases their risk of suicide. Many recently discharged servicemembers have difficulty with personal relationships or their transition back to civilian life.
VA’s National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide to reduce military and Veteran suicide focus on clinical interventions and community-based outreach prevention strategies. That means everyone — friends, relatives, caregivers, community members, and health care providers ― has a role to play in keeping Veterans safe and healthy. VA’s research investigators contribute to this effort by testing new interventions, evaluating existing programs, and working to identify those susceptible to suicidal ideations so Veterans can be provided the treatment and prevention measures they need before it’s too late.
Researchers from the VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center learned Gulf War Veterans who reported military toxic exposures are at higher risk of suicidal thoughts and other mental health conditions. The researchers surveyed almost 1,200 Gulf War-era Veterans, about 70% of whom reported exposure to toxins such as pesticides, smoke from burning oil fields, and nerve gas. Veterans with any toxic exposure had 50% higher odds of suicidal ideation. Veterans with a higher total number of self-reported exposures had 83% higher odds of probable PTSD, 28% higher odds of probable depression, and 22% higher odds of alcohol use disorder, even after taking other risk factors into account.
According to a Portland VA research study, a significant number of Veterans acknowledged they did not answer accurately on suicide screening forms when asked if they were feeling suicidal or had thoughts of ending their life. The study included more than 700 Veterans screened for suicidal ideation during primary care visits. The findings indicated 14% of Veterans screened by nurses/medical assistants and 18% screened by doctors who denied suicidal thoughts on the initial screen reported they had not been very accurate when they answered the screening questions. Similarly, 40% screened by nurses/medical assistants and 48% screened by doctors who confirmed suicidal thoughts on the initial screen told researchers their responses lacked candor. The researchers cautioned clinicians not to rely solely on screening forms for assessing suicide risk.
VA researchers from Eastern Oklahoma and Indianapolis used the VA electronic health record to examine 3,500 screenings for adverse childhood experiences, finding positive screens carried more than a 10% increased risk of suicidal thoughts and an almost 20% higher risk of suicidal behavior. The more alarming discovery though was that half of all those screenings, which occurred from 2018 to 2023, came from just three VA locations. This means the majority of Veterans are not screened for adverse childhood events at all. Adverse childhood events include physical, verbal, and sexual abuse; physical and emotional neglect; and household dysfunction that occur before the age of 18.
Veteran suicide risk is a combination of many factors, such as social support, financial stress, legal problems, substance use, food insecurity, discrimination, housing instability, access to lethal means, and many more.  Eastern Colorado VA researchers led a national team to demonstrate how health care providers can use community asset mapping (CAM) to connect Veterans to the resources they need. CAM creates a network of support, identifying resources such as Veteran Service Organizations, Community Veterans Engagement Boards, state suicide prevention coordinators, community mental health organizations, and more. VA health care professionals can then use CAM to link Veterans to local resources in their area.  Since 2019, with the launch of an improved Veterans Community Care Program, VA has made it a priority to coordinate with community partners for medical and mental health services. CAM’s ability to create a broad community network of shared resources could prove essential in VA’s efforts to prevent Veteran suicide.
Veterans Crisis Line: Connect with a trained VA responder 24/7, 365 days a year.  Either call: 988 then press 1, Text: 838255, or chat online.
Signs of crisis is an online Self-Check Assessment tool to learn whether stress and depression might be affecting you.
VA Mental Health provides a Get Help resource page that provides links to local VA care and explanations about the evidence-based treatment process.
Don’t wait. Reach out is a VA resource page listing resource categories and a self-assessment for finding support designed for Veterans.
Treatment Works for Vets provides direct�to�consumer outreach and education promoting evidence-based treatments for depression, insomnia, pain management, relationships, and substance abuse.
Make the Connection is a Veteran peer support platform designed on the model of Veterans helping Veterans through stories of lived experience.
Secure Firearm and Medication Storage. Using firearms and medications are usually handled responsibly, but they can become deadly if a Veteran is in crisis or having thoughts of suicide. Because many suicidal crises are brief, safe storage practices can save a life by increasing the amount of time and distance between someone having a suicidal crisis and access to a firearm or medication.
National Veterans Financial Resource Center (FINVET). Financial problems are linked to suicide risk in Veterans and the general population. A study reported that one in four active-duty military reported financial stress as the reason for their suicidal crisis.
Uniting for Suicide Postvention provides resources for survivors of suicide loss including parents, children, co-workers and therapists.
How to Talk to a Child about a Suicide Attempt in Your Family is a website with videos and written material parents and others can use to help children of different ages cope with suicide in their family.
Suicide Prevention Educational Products related to suicide prevention can be found here for free.
The Short Takes on Suicide Prevention podcast has more than 100 episodes from leaders in suicide prevention.
Suicide Risk Management Seminars are a free, live webinar offered on the 2nd Wednesday of every month from 2-3 p.m. EST. The lectures are designed for providers working with Veterans at risk of suicide. Also, archived recordings from previous seminars.
VA Findings to the Frontline - Webinar series that circulates recent research findings, emerging practices, and future directions in suicide prevention research and clinical practice.
Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention activities provide analytic support to the VA’s Suicide Prevention Program by building off established foundations it helped to create. The COE-SP manages administrative support of the Suicide Data Repository and enhances VA reporting across all Veterans.
The Rocky Mountain MIRECC (Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center) for Suicide Prevention leads research and education, but also has a clinical center on Veteran suicide prevention with the goal of reducing suicidal ideation and behaviors in the Veteran population. Towards this end, the work of the Rocky Mountain MIRECC is focused on promising clinical interventions, as well as the cognitive and neurobiological underpinnings of suicidal thoughts and behaviors that may lead to innovative prevention strategies.
The mission of VA Suicide Prevention Research Impact Network (SPRINT)is to serve as a national resource that accelerates VA suicide prevention research to improve care and prevent Veteran suicide.
The Military Suicide Research Consortium is a partnership with DOD that manages research to increase knowledge on topics such as risk assessment, treatment, and prevention as they pertain to suicidal behavior in the military and among Veterans.
The VA conducts the largest national analysis of Veteran suicide rates each year. Findings are made available to the public in an Annual Report.
As part of the 2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report release, 2022 state-level suicide findings are now available. State data sheets are a critical tool to help VA and state-level partners design and execute the most effective suicide prevention strategies. View and download the state data sheets below.
“I’m not here to take anyone’s guns away:” provider perspectives and strategies for addressing the fear of firearm seizure among rural-residing Veterans. Emily Masucci, Megan Lafferty, Nicole Cerra, et al. This study explores the fear of firearm seizure among rural-residing Veterans, which affects their attitudes and behaviors towards firearm safety and mental health care. Through interviews with VA providers, the research identifies factors contributing to this fear and suggests strategies to improve Veteran engagement in care and enhance firearm injury prevention efforts. SSM – Qualitative Research in Health, Volume 8, 2025, 100639, ISSN 2667-3215, DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100639.
Trauma exposure, mental health, and mental health treatment among LGBTQ+ veterans and nonveterans. Harper KL, Blosnich JR, Livingston N, et al. The study compares the prevalence of potentially traumatic events, mental health concerns, and treatment between LGBTQ+ veterans and nonveterans, finding that LGBTQ+ veterans experience more financial strain, discrimination, and severe mental health symptoms like depression and PTSD. Despite these challenges, they are only more likely to receive psychotherapy for PTSD and may have unmet mental health treatment needs, indicating a need for improved engagement in mental health services. Psychol Trauma. 2025 Nov;17(8):1651-1658. doi: 10.1037/tra0001735. Epub 2024 Jun 24. PMID: 38913715.
Supporting Community Engagement for Veterans After Psychiatric Hospitalization: Perspectives From Clinical, Personal, and Community Supporters. Chen JI, Laliberte AZ, Roth B, et al. The study explores the perspectives of mental health providers, community organizations, and Veterans’ loved ones on supporting community engagement for recently hospitalized Veterans, who are at high risk for suicide. It identifies barriers such as mental health challenges and lack of coordination in activities, while emphasizing the importance of leveraging existing community networks to enhance social connectedness for this vulnerable population. Community Ment Health J. 2025 Oct 9. doi: 10.1007/s10597-025-01521-5. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41066069.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors among Post-9/11 Veterans: Investigating Longitudinal Change and Interactions with Mental Health. Bernanke A, Kimbrel NA; VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC Workgroup; et al. The study investigates the relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) among post-9/11 veterans, revealing that veterans with a history of TBI report higher levels of STBs both at baseline and over a 12-year period. The findings indicate that TBI is linked to increased STBs, emphasizing the need for targeted screening and treatment approaches that consider the occurrence of brain injuries in combat. Psychiatry Res. 2025 Sep;351:116654. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116654. Epub 2025 Jul 25. PMID: 40752144; PMCID: PMC12337214.
The Relationship Between Concussion and Combat History and Mental Health and Suicide Ideation Among United States Military Veterans-A Pilot Study. Bruce SL, Cooper MR, Farmer C, et al. This pilot study investigates the relationship between concussion history, combat experience, and their effects on mental health issues and suicide ideation among U.S. military veterans. The findings indicate that the combination of concussion history and combat experience significantly predicts anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation, with combat experience being the strongest predictor of PTSD, which also influences these mental health outcomes. Brain Sci. 2025 Feb 23;15(3):234. doi: 10.3390/brainsci15030234. PMID: 40149757; PMCID: PMC11940082.
Opportunities and barriers to engaging caregivers in firearm suicide prevention: findings from focus groups with caregivers of veterans. MacWilliams K, Marmion J, Blascyk D, et al. The research explores caregivers’ experiences with lethal means safety conversations regarding firearm suicide prevention among veterans. It identifies the importance of these discussions, the barriers caregivers face in initiating them, and suggests strategies to enhance caregiver involvement in planning and discussions about secure firearm storage. Inj Epidemiol. 2025 Sep 26;12(1):59. doi: 10.1186/s40621-025-00612-x. PMID: 41013859; PMCID: PMC12465913.
Brief video training for suicide prevention in veterans: A randomized controlled trial of VA S.A.V.E. Teo AR, Hooker ER, Call AA, et al. The study evaluates the effectiveness of VA S.A.V.E., a brief video training program for suicide prevention among veterans, through a pilot randomized controlled trial. Results indicate that participants who completed the training exhibited a higher use of gatekeeper behaviors compared to a control group, with positive feedback on the training’s impact on learning and behavior change. Further investigation into VA S.A.V.E.’s effectiveness is recommended. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2024 Feb;54(1):154-166. doi: 10.1111/sltb.13028. Epub 2023 Dec 14. PMID: 38095049; PMCID: PMC11164032.
Suicidal ideation and non-fatal suicidal self-directed violence prevalence and associations among Veterans residing in U.S. Pacific Island Territories: Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Monteith LL, Kittel JA, Holliday R, et al. The study examines the prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) and non-fatal suicidal self-directed violence (SSDV) among Veterans in U.S. Pacific Island Territories, finding that lifetime SI estimates are 35.86% and past-year SI is 15.68%. It highlights higher SI prevalence among younger Veterans and American Indian/Alaska Native Veterans, while emphasizing the need for targeted suicide prevention efforts in this region. PLoS One. 2025 Jun 18;20(6):e0326533. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0326533. PMID: 40531952; PMCID: PMC12176182.
Functional impairment, internalized stigma, and well-being: Considerations for recovery-oriented suicide prevention for U.S. Veterans with serious mental illness. Chalker SA, Pozun CT, Ehret BC. The study evaluates suicidal ideation, functional impairment, internalized stigma, and well-being among U.S. veterans with serious mental illness entering Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Centers. It finds that younger, married veterans and those without certain psychiatric diagnoses are more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, while the cohort exhibits high functional impairment, mild internalized stigma, and low well-being. The research highlights the relationship between suicidal ideation and these factors, suggesting the need for integrated recovery-oriented practices in suicide prevention. Pract Innov (Wash D C). 2023;2023:10.1037/pri0000213. doi: 10.1037/pri0000213. PMID: 37900980; PMCID: PMC10601383.
