This blog first appeared on InsideSources.
Suicide is a public health crisis and VA is launching a national effort to reduce suicide by identifying the warning signs, pointing people to the best resources, and showing how everyone can help. Over the past 14 years, suicide among civilian adults has increased by 23 percent, but among Veterans it is up 31 percent. I am deeply troubled at the rate of suicide among Veterans, and I am determined to do everything we can to fix this. Our nation has an obligation to protect those who have served us, and that’s why suicide prevention is VA’s top clinical priority.
In the past, VA has been largely reactive on suicide – waiting until Veterans have a thought of suicide before trying to engage them. This approach hasn’t worked. So earlier this year, we launched an innovative effort called REACH VET that allows us to identify those who may be at risk. REACH VET helps ensure that Veterans who may be at high risk for suicide receive the care they need before they are in crisis.
One of my first decisions as secretary was to extend mental health care to Veterans with other-than-honorable discharges because we know this group is at a higher risk for suicide. I also launched an aggressive campaign to recruit 2,100 new mental health professionals to meet the growing demand for these services – we have hired 650 of them so far.
We are ramping up operations in our Veterans Crisis Line
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