As Suicide Prevention Month ends, advocates stress continued outreach, recognition of warning signs, and available crisis resources after a 2025 VA report found an average of 17 veterans died by suicide each day in 2023.
Connection and community are central to prevention: survivors and advocates say reaching out and holding space can change outcomes.
Organizations such as the Wounded Warrior Project provide programs linking veterans, service members and caregivers to mental health and well-being services.
Mental health advocates and veterans' organizations are urging continued attention to veteran suicide prevention after a Department of Veterans Affairs report found an average of 17 veterans died by suicide each day in 2023. The conversation centers on practical steps people can take to help, and where those in crisis can find immediate support.
Franco also described losing friends to suicide after they left military service. Those losses left her with questions about whether she could have done more, which she says reinforces the need for open conversations about mental health among veterans and their communities.
Practical guidance for supporting someone at risk
WWP's suicide prevention manager, Lindsay Gray, frames prevention as addressing the person as a whole — mental health plus broader well-being. For people who want to help someone in crisis, the recommended approach is concrete:
Gray says reducing stigma and encouraging honest conversations are core objectives for prevention work. WWP connects veterans, active-duty service members and caregivers to programs that address both risk and protective factors associated with suicide.
Immediate resources and how to use them
If someone is in immediate crisis, the recommended national resources are:
WWP also directs people seeking ongoing support to their website to find programs and services tailored to veterans and caregivers. Additional resources appear at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
What connection looks like in practice
Connection can be as simple as checking in regularly, offering to sit with someone while they call a helpline, or helping them find and access local services. For many veterans, connecting with peers who have faced similar challenges can reduce isolation and model paths to recovery.
Advocates emphasize that suicide prevention is not a one-month task. The VA data and veterans' experiences in this report point to sustained outreach, clear routes to crisis help, and more open conversations as the immediate, actionable priorities for family members, friends and communities supporting veterans.
"I know that what I'm doing, my purpose-driven thing, is important."
The Yuma County Anti-Drug Coalition and Yuma County Mental Health Coalition are launching a month-long campaign called "Connection Is Prevention." The post Yuma groups launch suicide prevention campaign focused on connection appeared first on KYMA .
Research highlights how supportive relationships and everyday connections can strengthen teen mental health and reduce suicide risk factors. The post 16% of Pennsylvania Teens Have Considered Suicide – But Everyday Connection May Help appeared first on The Good Men Project .
An average of 22 military veterans kill themselves every day in our country. This I find most troubling and sad. Families and friends suffer, too, because of their love for these veterans.After my release from the U.S. Navy in 1975…
The APA Foundation launched a video series to address veteran suicide, featuring real stories from veterans and families to reduce mental health stigma.
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