Preventing Suicide Among Veterans

Course overview

Veterans who are transitioning back to civilian life face a number of stressors and challenges. Suicide rates among U.S. veterans are 1.5 times higher than the rates of suicide among civilian adults in the U.S. (Department of Veterans Affairs [VA], 2019c). Unfortunately, numerous barriers, including stigma toward mental illness and equating help-seeking with “weakness,” prevent veterans from accessing needed treatment. More than 60% of U.S. veterans currently experiencing suicidal ideation are not engaged in mental health treatment (Nichter et al., 2020). As a behavioral health professional who supports veterans in their readjustment to civilian life, it is critical that you understand the unique challenges and needs of this population. The goal of this course is to provide alcohol and drug counselors, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and physicians in health and human services settings with skills for preventing suicide among veterans.