{"id":69770,"date":"2022-09-19T17:01:15","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T17:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/09\/19\/veterans-suicides-drop-to-lowest-rate-since-2006\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:53:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:53:54","slug":"veterans-suicides-drop-to-lowest-rate-since-2006","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/veterans\/2022\/09\/19\/veterans-suicides-drop-to-lowest-rate-since-2006\/","title":{"rendered":"Veterans suicides drop to lowest rate since 2006"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The number of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/09\/16\/defense-va-leaders-renew-calls-to-prevent-suicides-in-new-message\/\" target=\"_blank\">veterans suicides<\/a> in America fell to less than 17 a day in 2020, a positive sign that efforts to provide additional mental health care and support service to veterans may be saving lives, Veterans Affairs officials said Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The department\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/reach\/lethal-means\/?utm_source=google&#038;utm_medium=cpc&#038;utm_campaign=search&#038;gclid=CjwKCAjwpqCZBhAbEiwAa7pXecTruSwaXc_hq6JzlfrQicsCad-Z7mS9WUPdQKAV9u1DHbuHPG_xoRoCmTQQAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\">annual suicide prevention report<\/a> \u2014 released each September \u2014 showed that 6,146 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/11\/12\/suicide-rate-among-veterans-up-again-slightly-despite-focus-on-prevention-efforts\/\" target=\"_blank\">veterans died by suicide<\/a> in 2020, the latest year for which data is available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s a decrease of 9.7% (650 fewer cases) since 2018, nearly double the drop seen in the suicide rate among the general population over that time span (5.5%).<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2022\/09\/16\/defense-va-leaders-renew-calls-to-prevent-suicides-in-new-message\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/t_b86a234fb02e42a6a29bad0787233d51_name_file_1920x1080_5400_v4_.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Defense, VA leaders renew calls to prevent suicides in new message<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Both departments have emphasized suicide prevention in recent years, with mixed results.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/09\/02\/va-to-provide-abortions-in-cases-of-rape-danger-to-womans-life\/\" target=\"_blank\">VA Secretary Denis McDonough<\/a> expressed tempered optimism over the findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis year\u2019s report shows real progress, but there is still so much work to be done,\u201d he said. \u201cOne veteran suicide is one too many, and VA will continue to work with our federal, state, local and private partners to tackle this problem and save veterans\u2019 lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About 16.8 veterans a day died by suicide in 2020, the first time that calculation has fallen below 17 a day since 2006. The figure has risen to as high as 18 a day in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When active-duty and reserve suicides are included in the totals, the estimate is about 20 suicides a day, a figure widely quoted in the military and veterans communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the positive news, however, veterans remain more likely to die by suicide than Americans who never served in the military. The suicide rate among veterans is roughly 31.7 deaths per 100,000 veterans, almost double that of non-veterans (16.1 per 100,000).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"419\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/VASuicideChart2020.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-105323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/VASuicideChart2020.jpg.jpg 550w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/VASuicideChart2020.jpg.jpg?resize=300,229 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A chart from the Department of Veterans Affairs annual report on veterans suicide, released on Sept. 19. (VA graphic)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Suicide was the second leading cause of death among veterans 45 years of age and younger in 2020, behind only accidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The improvements in the suicide rate coincide with the final two years of President Donald Trump\u2019s term in office. But VA officials cautioned against attributing the changes to any single program or initiative, saying the causes \u2014 and solutions \u2014 to suicide are complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cImprovement involves addressing suicide prevention, incorporating consideration of multiple risk factors and predictive factors, and building evidence-based clinical interventions as well as community-based interventions,\u201d said Dr. Matt Miller, VA\u2019s director of suicide prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI see [in this report] that the VA, in collaboration with the community and other federal agencies, is making a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report also found no real change in suicide rates because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which began in spring 2020. That had been a concern among mental health specialists, who feared increased isolation and stress as a result of the pandemic response effort could trigger suicidal thoughts among vulnerable veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2022\/09\/17\/veterans-suicide-rate-may-be-double-federal-estimates-study-suggests\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6829847.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Veterans suicide rate may be double federal estimates, study suggests<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Researchers found problems with how military status is recorded and how drug overdoses are classified.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The VA findings come just two days after officials from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/09\/17\/veterans-suicide-rate-may-be-double-federal-estimates-study-suggests\/\" target=\"_blank\">America\u2019s Warrior Partnership<\/a>, in a joint study with University of Alabama and Duke University, released their own study suggesting that the official suicide numbers from state census data may be dramatically undercounting veterans deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the numbers were to include additional deaths from accidental drug overdoses and deceased individuals whose veteran status was reported inaccurately, the figure could be as high as 44 veteran deaths by suicide a day, AWP officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As part of the VA report release Monday, department officials also announced $52 million in community-based suicide prevention grants to 80 organizations in 43 states, and another $8.5 million in awards as part of their Mission Daybreak suicide prevention challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Veterans in need of emergency counseling can reach the Veterans Crisis line by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-8255 and selecting option 1 after connecting to reach a VA staffer. In addition, veterans, troops or their family members can also text 838255 or visit <\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/veteranscrisisline.net\/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>VeteransCrisisLine.net<\/i><\/a><i> for assistance.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>But veterans are still significantly more likely to die by suicide than their civilian peers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":37537,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":21,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,24,89,16,26,65,21],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3328],"class_list":["post-69770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"ES5K5O4MZJCTDGWSMWKMFS5TYU","arc_canonical_url":"\/veterans\/2022\/09\/19\/veterans-suicides-drop-to-lowest-rate-since-2006\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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