Suicide Prevention: We Can and Must Do Better

By Kim Donohue, NDVS Suicide and Homelessness Prevention Program Manager

Veteran suicide has become an urgent issue for our nation and a top clinical priority for the Veterans Administration.  Nevada communities and the Department of Veterans Services have made suicide-prevention and awareness priority number one across the State.  Suicide is a national public health issue that affects people regardless of age, social economic status, race, gender or military service.

My name is Kim Donohue. As the Suicide and Homelessness Prevention Program Manager for the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, I understand the power of the information you are reading and express that together, we can help prevent suicide!

I know this may be a cliché, but first I have to share some bad news before I can share some better news and reason for hope. Suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death in the United States.  In Nevada, suicide is the 7^th leading cause of death and sadly, rates across populations continue to rise.  Nevada’s suicide rate has historically been two to three times that of the national average.  There have been more suicide deaths by a firearm than traffic fatalities in Nevada. Even worse, our Nevada veterans are dying at a higher rate of self-inflicted gunshot wounds than seen in our civilian population.

Just as stunning, veterans make up 8.5% of the population and 20% of our nation’s suicides. In Nevada, 50% of our veterans ranging in age from 25 to 34 years of age died by suicide between 2010 and 2014.  The statistics from the older population are just as grim. Nevada has the highest elder suicide rate in the nation.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (OMHSP) has stated 20 veterans a day die by suicide, only six of these veterans are under the care of the VA, the other 14 are receiving care from other facilities in our community.

Now, I can share some more positive news. The VA and the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, along with stakeholders in our community, are working to ensure those “other 14” are receiving the benefits and services needed for the overall well-being of our Nevadan veterans and service members.

On January 9 of this year, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13822 enhancing mental health services available to veterans transitioning from service to civilian life, in order to help reduce the rate of suicide among our veteran population.  This plan encompasses three Departments: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The three have been directed to collaboratively address the complex challenges our service members and veterans may endure as they are transitioning from uniform to civilian life.

“The Joint Action Plan” utilizes a prevention framework aimed at ensuring all veterans have knowledge of and access to mental health and suicide prevention services that can help buffer risks for suicide (Joint Action Plan, April 18, 2018, p2).

The purpose of this Executive Order is to ensure mental health care is available to all eligible transitioning service members and veterans.

For more information on this Executive Order, please visit: https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=4064.

Earlier this summer in June 2018, the Centers for Disease Control released its Vital Signs statistical report. It shows suicide rates increased in nearly every state between

1999 to 2016 except for the State of Nevada!  Nevada was the ONLY state in the nation to decrease suicide rates by one percent!  I realize one death is one too many and I also realize one percent is not a large number; however, it is a step in the right direction. I strongly believe that with the continued collaboration of our community stakeholders, governmental agencies and our Nevada veteran population, TOGETHER we can make a difference to help end suicide.

If you want to know more about the CDC Vital Signs report, click this link: https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/pdf/vs-0618-suicide-H.pdf.