Preventing and managing a suicide crisis

A new year is a good time to reflect and set goals. It’s a time to think about what’s important in our lives, to take stock, to think about our accomplishments from the previous year and prepare for challenges. For those Veterans who experience thoughts of suicide, taking steps to ensure access to support is readily available is critical to preventing or managing a crisis.

Knowing what to do before a suicide crisis happens increases the chance that you or a Veteran you know will get through it safely. Here are some resources that can help you prepare.

Save the Veterans Crisis Line number

If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7, confidential support from real responders. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect.

To reach this support, Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.

Take VA S.A.V.E. training

VA S.A.V.E. training is a free, brief online or in-person course that will help you act with care and compassion if you come across a Veteran who is in crisis or having thoughts of suicide. The acronym S.A.V.E. can help you remember the important steps involved in suicide prevention:

S: Know the signs that indicate a Veteran might be thinking about suicide
A: Ask the most important question of all—“Are you thinking of killing yourself?”
V: Validate the Veteran’s experience
E: Encourage treatment and Expedite getting help

You can take VA S.A.V.E. training online or you can contact your local suicide prevention coordinator (SPC) to schedule in-person training.

Create a safety plan

A critical part of preventing a crisis is being ready before one happens, and a safety plan centers around preparation. It’s important to develop a safety plan when you’re not in distress so you have time to complete the steps and avoid distractions.

When you’re ready to work on your plan, the VA Safety Plan app will help you create a custom step-by-step guide to stay safe when experiencing thoughts of suicide. The app helps you identify personal coping strategies and sources of support, allowing for thoughts of suicide to decrease over time and become more manageable.

Read the latest data

We recently released the 2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, which includes detailed information about Veteran suicide from 2001 through 2022, the most recent year for which data is available. We use this report to inform our suicide prevention programs and initiatives.

The report provides critical insights and it highlights actionable steps individuals can take to make a difference. It also provides takeaways about available resources for Veterans, the importance of secure firearm storage, and ways to foster connection and involvement within your community.

Visit the web page dedicated to Veteran suicide prevention to explore the report and discover available resources to help support Veterans today. You don’t need special training or expertise to make a meaningful impact.

Learn about secure firearm storage

Because many crises can be brief and fleeting, securely storing your firearms can serve as a vital safeguard, creating time and space between someone with thoughts of suicide and a lethal method. VA’s Keep It Secure program promotes awareness about simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family. Making sure your firearms are unloaded and locked when not in use can help prevent firearm injuries. Ammunition should be stored in a different location.

There are several effective ways to securely store your firearms:

• Cable gun lock: This simple device is widely available and can be an effective prevention tool. You can request a cable gun lock from an SPC at your local VA medical facility. Find a facility or an SPC using the VA Resource Locator.
• Lockbox or gun safe: This method can provide a reliable and cost-effective way to securely store firearms, requiring keys or manual combinations for access. A lockbox or gun safe can also prevent others outside of the owner from accessing them.
• Electronic lockbox or biometric safe: These storage methods provide quick, secure access to firearms by requiring passcodes, fingerprints, and other lock and key methods, ensuring they’re only accessible to authorized individuals. These advanced security measures can help prevent unauthorized use and create a critical barrier during moments of crisis.

For more resources and support, visit the Veteran suicide prevention web page.