Mental Health

Veteran Suicide Data

National Veteran Suicide Data: 2016 Update 

The VA National Suicide Data Report is now available with data through 2016. The 2016 VA National Suicide Data Report follows a new format, designed to be easier to understand and consume. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the VA Suicide Prevention Program at VASPDataRequest@va.gov.

As the largest national analysis of Veteran suicide rates, this report examines:

• Veteran suicide rates by age, gender, means, and more.
• Suicide rates in the Veteran population compared with rates in the non-Veteran population.
• Suicide rates among Veterans who use VHA health care compared with rates among those who do not.

VA has made suicide prevention its top priority and uses these data to continually improve and tailor suicide prevention strategies and initiatives. VA’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention has implemented significant suicide prevention initiatives in recent years and months: expanding the Veterans Crisis Line to three call centers, launching the S.A.V.E. suicide prevention training video, implementing the Mayor’s Challenge, and partnering with the departments of Defense and Homeland Security to support Veterans during their transition from military to civilian life. 

Learn more about how you can support Veteran suicide prevention efforts and access resources at www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention.

View and download the updated report below.

State-Level Veteran Suicide Data: 2016 Update

State-level suicide findings are now available as part of the 2016 VA National Suicide Data Report. The state data sheets are a critical tool to help VA and state-level partners design and execute the most effective suicide prevention strategies.

The state data sheets include:

• Suicide deaths among Veterans in each state
• Suicide rates by age group
• Suicide deaths by method compared with regional and national data

The most recent state-level data appendix release includes Veteran suicide data dating back from 2005 through 2016. The 2005-2016 State Data Appendix includes a comprehensive analysis of suicide rates for Veterans and the general population, explores longitudinal trends in suicide counts and rates at the state level, and includes data separated by gender, age group, and suicide method. For the most up to date state-level information, please refer to the State Data Appendix.

VA works continually with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the DoD to obtain and report the most detailed data possible from the National Death Index. Since publishing the original set of state data sheets in 2014, VA has made strides in its ability to examine the data with more granularity.

It’s important to note that suicide is a complex issue with a multitude of contributing factors — and there is no single explanation for disparities in Veteran suicide rates across different states. The varying characteristics of a state’s Veteran population — like demographics, unemployment rates, or firearm policy — make it difficult to compare Veteran suicide rates between states or regions.

View and download the state data sheets below. Because slight variations in yearly data may not be reflected in every individual state data sheet, please refer to the 2005–2016 State Data Appendix for the most current state information.

Archives

Please note, these are archived data. Both the 2014 and 2015 National Suicide Data Report and 2014 and 2015 State Data Sheets have since been updated. Scroll up to the top of this page for the most recent versions.