Annual VA report shows veteran suicides are on the decline
WASHINGTON (KRDO) -- Monday, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released the 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report.
The annual report shows that veteran suicides decreased in 2020 for the second year in a row and that fewer veterans died by suicide in 2020 than in any year since 2006.
The VA highlights several key findings from its 2022 report.
- In 2019 and 2020, veteran suicides decreased in consecutive years by 307 and 343 deaths, which is the biggest decrease in the suicide count and rate since 2001.
- From 2018 to 2020, the age and sex-adjusted suicide rate among veterans fell by 9.7 percent.
- Among women veterans, the age-adjusted suicide rate fell by 14.1 percent, compared to 8.4 percent among non-veteran women. The age-adjusted suicide rate for women veterans in 2020 was the lowest since 2013, and the age-adjusted suicide rate for veteran men was the lowest since 2016.
- From 2019 to 2020, veteran suicide rates fell across all racial groups.
- Comparisons of trends in veteran suicide and COVID-19 mortality over the course of
- 2020 and across veteran demographic and clinical subgroups did not indicate an
- impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on veteran suicide mortality.
This year the VA has also announced or continued several additional efforts to end veteran suicide, including:
- Establishing 988 (then press 1) as a way for veterans to quickly connect with caring, qualified crisis support 24/7
- proposing a new rule that would reduce or eliminate copayments for veterans at risk of suicide
- conducting an ongoing public outreach effort on firearm suicide prevention and lethal means safety
- leveraging a national veteran suicide prevention awareness campaign, “Don’t Wait. Reach Out.”
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to
receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year. Dial 988 then Press 1, text 838255, or chat online at
VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
