9/14/2023 9:00:00 AM
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Although mental health and suicide prevention are important to address year-round, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health, publicizes Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices and share that there is hope, help is available, and healing is possible.
Kristi Charles, MDVA Veteran Suicide Prevention Coordinator, recently was interviewed by Twin Cities radio station KTIS. She shared these important messages.
What are the facts about Veteran suicide?
Veteran suicide has become a disturbing trend over the last 20 years. In Minnesota alone, we have lost about 100 Veterans per year to suicide since 2014 to 2020. In 2022, 105 Veterans died by suicide, with 72 of those age 55 or older. We also believe that suicide among all populations is under-reported by up to 20 percent, so the actual number of deaths by suicide could be even higher. We do know that the majority of Veteran deaths by suicide are men using firearms.
Why are Veterans dying by suicide?
We are researching that question. When someone dies by suicide, people often ask why and what they could have done to prevent it. Some Veterans experience difficulty transitioning from active duty to civilian life after deployment and, certainly, in retirement. The great sacrifices made by our Veterans and service members put them at an automatic higher risk because of all of the unknowns in their lives, both past and present. To learn more, we have started a research study that includes talking to families and friends of Veterans who have died by suicide. We are currently working on Veteran suicides that occurred in 2022. If you, or someone you know, might be willing to speak with me or our team, we would welcome the opportunity to honor your Veteran’s life by helping to save others and hope to bring healing to your family as well.
What is MDVA doing to prevent Veteran suicide?
Prevention often means that we look at what we call “upstream” approaches. We want to address depression, PTSD, homelessness and other issues long before a Veteran begins to think about ending their life. Having a sense of purpose and being connected with a community, especially with peers who understand them, are two important needs for Veterans. We work with the Minnesota Department of Health and the VA and their Community Engagement Partnership Coordinators as they gather communities all over the state—the feet on the ground! There are so many resources available and we continue to partner with our County Veterans Service Officers, Beyond The Yellow Ribbon, and American Legion.
How can the community help?
We work closely with and believe that this work must include the whole community. Part of this effort includes increasing awareness, education and training in the community. We encourage everyone to attend a training class as we all have a role in preventing Veteran suicide. We offer training classes on Veteran suicide prevention, from learning more about military and Veteran culture, to safety around lethal means such as firearms, poisoning or drugs, and Mental Health First Aid. These trainings can also help you get comfortable asking the difficult question: “Are you thinking of killing yourself?” Asking the question is not going to cause them to do it but might encourage them to open up about how they are feeling and how you can help.
Why does MDVA give out free gunlocks?
Over the past two years, we have given out more than 15,000 free gun locks to anyone who requests one, especially for Veterans and their families. We have broadened our thinking from “why” to “how” a Veteran dies. We know that Veterans who die by suicide use a firearm 50% more often than the general population. The reason may be because they know how to use a gun and more likely to own them, making them more easily accessed. We are NOT talking about gun restriction. We are promoting a call to action to join together in our state and promote the safe storage of firearms. This means that if someone is struggling with their mental health, we want to offer temporary safe storage or safe keeping of firearms. We have a video on our website that discusses Veteran suicide prevention and how to use a gun lock. To request one or more gun locks, people should email their name and address to: SuicidePrevention.MDVA@state.mn.us. For more information, visit our website at MinnesotaVeteran.org/EndVetSuicide.
Who is partnering with MDVA and what are their roles?
There are so many great things happening in Minnesota with mental health and suicide prevention awareness. This is recognized nationally as we keep a pulse on what other states are doing. MDVA is fortunate to be working with a number of other organizations committed to preventing Veteran suicide and we continue to expand that circle. In Minnesota, suicide prevention among all populations is the responsibility of the Department of Health, so we work closely with their team to coordinate our efforts. Suicide prevention is a public health and broad community issue, so we are fortunate to also be partnering with:
Together we collaborate on strategies to prevent Veteran suicide because we know that when we succeed in decreasing Veteran suicide, we will positively affect the greater Minnesota population as well.
Are there other mental health issues that Veterans commonly face?
Veterans and service members, like everyone else, need to care for their mental health. Some Veterans experience difficulty transitioning from active duty to civilian life whether it is a return from deployment or their military retirement. Veterans may also struggle with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety or PTSD based on their service experience, especially if they were in a combat situation. However, for many, serving in the military can also be a protective factor. There are many life circumstances that are not related to miliary service that cause depression or PTSD. It is when these are stacked, sometimes over a lifetime, and healthy coping skills and healing have not been in place, that we see Veterans struggle. One of the most important messages that we want to share is that it is normal to struggle with our thoughts and feelings; it’s OK to not feel OK.
