September is Suicide Prevention Month
Across the nation, change is underway to reduce the number of military-affiliated Americans who are lost to suicide.
Various estimates have put the daily toll at 18 or 22, while others say those figures underestimate the real number.
In any case, The American Legion believes one is too many.
– The American Legion
In 2021:
- The unadjusted rate of suicide among U.S. Veterans was 33.9 per 100,000, up from 32.6 per 100,000 in 2020.
- These rates were highest among Veterans between ages 18- and 34-years-old, followed by those aged 35- to 54-years-old.
- Overall, 48.7% of Veterans who died from suicide in 2021 had received VA or Veteran Benefits services in 2020 or 2021, while 51.3% of Veterans in 2021 did not.
- Suicide was the 13th-leading cause of death for Veterans overall, and the second-leading cause of death among Veterans under age 45-years-old
- Among U.S. adults who died from suicide in 2021, firearms were more commonly involved among Veteran deaths (72.2%) than among non-Veteran deaths (52.2%).
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, Veterans were found to experience more mental health concerns than non-Veterans.
Source: The 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Click here.
I invite you to take one of these free trainings:
1. PsychArmor’s S.A.V.E. Suicide Prevention Training. Click here.
2. “Be The One Training” helps people understand how to handle interactions with and responses to Veterans who may be in crisis. Click, here.
In 2021, the unadjusted suicide rates per 100,000 were:
- 46.3 for American Indian or Alaska Native Veterans
- 36.3 for White Veterans
- 31.6 for Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Veterans
- 19.7 for Veterans with Hispanic ethnicity
- 17.4 for Black or African American Veterans
- 6.7 for Veterans of multiple races
Veterans at the greatest risk for suicide include the following populations:
- Ages 18-34
- Females ages 18-34; some sources site a suicide rate approximately 2.5 times higher among female Veterans than non-veterans
- Native Veterans, Asian American/Pacific Islander
- Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other
- Ages 55-74
- Those with serious medical conditions and Veterans involved in the criminal justice system
Source: The 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Click here.
Call the number below early and often. They will help you through very challenging situations.
Need a Speaker? Questions? Contact Kathy@VanguardVeteran.com or (270) 945-7286. Register for Vanguard Veteran’s monthly newsletter, here.
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